Co-trainer Peter Morgan has confirmed that Star Rolling will return to racing in the 2015 Orr Stakes at Caulfield this weekend rather than the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) at the same venue.
Star Rolling will start his 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing campaign in the Orr Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Star Rolling was included in the nominations that were released on Monday for both events and Morgan revealed that he was initially leaning towards running the Casino Prince gelding in the Carlyon Cup, but told Racing Ahead that the Group 2 winner is likely to be more suited by the make-up of the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) field.
“He will go to the Orr,” Morgan said.
“We were thinking the Carlyon, but there is actually a little bit of speed in the Carlyon and I think that we will head to the Orr at this stage.
“He just mightn’t be quiet ready for the mile if they take him on.”
Star Rolling started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a narrow win in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 16, but he was unable to replicate that performance for the rest of his campaign and he missed the placings in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m), Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) before he suffered an injury when tenth in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
The five-year-old made his first public appearance since his spring preparation in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Cranbourne on January 29 and was outpaced early before finishing towards the tail of the field.
Morgan was satisfied with the barrier trial performance of Star Rolling and he is hopeful that the gelding can return to his best form during the 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing..
“They went pretty fast in it and it left him flat footed a bit,” Morgan said.
“I think they ran 46 something which is not up to him, but Linda (Meech) rode him and she was happy with him.
“We have been working on him for some time now and I think that we pretty well have him right for Saturday.”
Star Rolling is likely to head on a path towards the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 14 and he was also included in the nominations for the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) that were released yesterday.
