Polanski will go straight into the Australian Guineas in a fortnight first up after having to be scratched from Group 3 $150,000 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington today.
Polanski is scratched for the second week in a row because of a skin disorder. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing had to withdraw Polanski for the second week in a row because a skin disorder but isn’t worried about preparing the Victoria Derby winner to run first up in the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in two weeks.
Laing thought he was winning the battle after he was forced to scratch Polanski from last week’s Group 2 $220,000 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield after the three year old developed a bad case of ring worm.
But the condition flared up again late in the week again pushing back Polanski’s start to his Autumn Carnival campaign and forcing Laing to go the Australian Guineas without a lead up run, not having raced since winning the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2.
“I can get him into the Guineas first-up,” Laing told the Herald Sun.
“It’s not 5000m — and that’s been done before. He’s fit, he galloped enormous at Cranbourne on Thursday with a mate, really worked home well the last bit, very powerful.’’
“I’m just glad we’re having these issues at the start of his prep, not a week before the Australian Derby.”
After the Australian Guineas Laing will follow a path that will lead towards the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) on April 12, the first day of the new revamped ‘The Championships’ at Randwick.
Polanski was marked as a $7.50 chance before he came out of the C S Hayes and his scratching hasn’t affected the market order a great deal.
Adelaide three year old Hucklebuck remains the favourite at $3.40 with Ladrokes.com.au ahead of The Quarterback at $4.20 and Prince Harada at $6.50.
While in the Australian Guineas Polanski is marked at $10 alongside of Hucklebuck with the Gai Waterhouse trained Bull Point heading the market order at $6.50 ahead of Shamus Award and The Quarterback on the $8 line and Eurozone at $9.
