Flemington trainer Steve Richards is looking to boost his Spring Carnival stocks when he saddles up two year old Justaway in the $80,000 Eugene Gorman Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Justaway could join Marcado, above, in the Spring with a good performance at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Richards has already set Flemington winner Marcado for a Spring Carnival campaign and is hoping Justaway can join him if he runs up to his expectations this weekend.
Richards was more than pleased with the debut effort of Justaway when fifth to Callahan in a 1100m Seymour maiden on May 26 and is hoping the step up to 1400m will give his youngster a chance to reverse the result when they clash again at Flemington on Saturday.
“If he is going to be one of the chances we weren’t far off him so we have to be some kind of a show,” Richards told the Sportsman.
“And in a small field I wouldn’t expect him to be that far away. They don’t go very hard in the 1400m races so you’d want to be a bit closer.”
“He ran terrifically for his first start and has trained on really well,”
“We thought the 1400m would suit him and on a big track at home it gives him a nice chance to wind into the race.”
“We chose Seymour to bounce into this race, provided he ran well there which he did.”
Justaway’s stablemate Marcado scored an impressive three quarters of a length win on debut in the Autumn when he beat Orujo and Lady Sharopova in the Listed $100,000 Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on February 15.
The Choisir two year old was then tested in tougher company and ran a creditable third to Zululand and Awesome Rock in the Group 2 $220,000 Henry Bucks Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 8.
Richards then sent Marcado to the spelling paddock before preparing him for the Spring which could include a start in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11.
At Flemington on Saturday Justaway is well in commission in the Eugene Gorman Handicap and is marked as a $5.50 chance with Ladbrokes.com.au while Callahan is the ruling favourite at $2.50.
Roundabout from the Peter Moody stable is the second pick at $4.60 just ahead of the David Hayes trained colt Vuelta at $5.
