Cox Plate placegetter Rekindled Interest goes into Saturday’s Doncaster Mile at the top of his game says trainer Jim Conlan.
The Redoute’s Choice four year old is looking to regain his Spring form when an unlucky third to Pinker Pinker in the Group 1 $3m Tatts Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, in the Group 1 $2m Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick.
Rekindled Interest is at the top of his game going in the Doncaster Mile - photo (c) Taron Clarke
Rekindled Interest indicated he wasn’t far off his top when a fast finishing second to Metal Bender in the Group 1 $400,000 Daily Telegraph George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 7 at his second run back from a spell.
And Conlan’s hopes were again boosted on Tuesday morning when the trainer described the gelding’s gallop at Randwick as winning work.
“It was the equivalent of the work that he did on the Tuesday before the Cox Plate and that was winning work,” Conlan said.
The four year old is yet to win a Group 1 but Conlan is adamant the he should have won the Cox Plate after being squeezed most of the way down the short Moonee Valley straight.
“He probably was unlucky not to win the Cox Plate. It was as good as Rekindled Interest can do and he did that again.”
“He’s now going into this race as well as he could possibly be.”
He is now getting up to distances that really suit with a win over 1600m in the Group 2 $300,000 Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley last September a good indication that he will be in the mix on Saturday.
Jockey Dwayne Dunn remains aboard after a long association with the gelding and as well as riding him in the Cox Plate was on him when third to Glass Harmonium in the Group 1 $1m Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day last year.
Rekindled Interest came up with barrier two in the capacity field of twenty but some of Conlan’s confidence has dwindled with the prospect of a heavy track at Randwick on Saturday.
Sydney is experiencing more rain and the likelihood of it continuing into the weekend has put a dampener on Rekindled Interest who has no placings from three goes on a wet track.
The Doncaster in turning into a good betting race as usual with a wide open market that has More Joyous and Secret Admirer sharing favouritism at $6 with Rekindled Interest down the order at $16.
Noted wet tracker Sincero with Craig Williams to ride is firm in the betting at $9 and the Chris Waller trainer Shoot Out who has four wins to his credit on slow tracks is in the market at $10.
