Trainer Joe Pride has confirmed that he plans to set Group 1 winner Terravista for a first-up tilt at the 2015 Newmarket Handicap that will be held at Flemington on March 14.
Terravista laid claim to the title of the best sprinter in Australia with a narrow win in the 2014 Newmarket Handicap. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Terravista was sent straight to the spelling paddock following his win over Chautauqua and Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 8 and Pride told Sky Racing HQ that the Captain Rio gelding is enjoying his time away from the stable along with his half-brother Tiger Tees.
Pride plans to give Terravista at least three more weeks in the spelling paddock before he returns to his Warwick Farm-based stable to being preparations for the Newmarket Handicap and a likely tilt at the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) during The Championships in Sydney.
“He went straight to the paddock,” Pride said.
“He is a bit of a star and he is on the rise soon, which is really exciting for us all.
“He is going to come back in later this month and at this stage I am setting him for the Newmarket first-up.
“He needed to put on some weight.
“He had two trips to Melbourne within the space of a couple of weeks, so he needed to put on some weight and he did really well.
“He is up there with his brother Tiger Tees, they are chilling out in the paddock together, and I am looking forward to have them both back in the stable.”
Terravista made his racing debut in April of 2013 and he won four of his first five starts before he made his black type debut with a second place finish behind White Sage in the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens last November.
The talented gelding recorded impressive wins in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22 and the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Warwick Farm on March 8, but failed to fire when stepped-up in trip for the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29.
Pride set Terravista for a Group 1 sprints campaign during the spring and he took out both the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 23 and the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Royal Randwick on September 20 before he finished an unlucky fifth in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).
Terravista received late betting support in the Darley Classic and, aided by a gem of a ride by leading jockey Hugh Bowman, beat the star-studded field to stamp himself as one of the best sprinters in the world.
