Lamasery will begin his spring carnival campaign at Rosehill

With just three horses currently in the stables, trainer David Vandyke has time to focus on five-year-old gelding Lamasery as he begins his spring campaign at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow.

“Only three (horses are in the stables) but they are getting looked after pretty well at the moment I can tell you,” Vandyke said.

The Commands gelding will run in the 1,500 metres Rydges Cronulla Handicap tomorrow after running in two recent barrier trials.

“His first trial this time in was a bit ordinary so I elected to send him to another trial,” Vandyke said.

“We could have won the trial but there (are) no pennies for that”

“Lamasery’s come on nicely since.”

Vandyke is hoping Lamasery will handle the distance and the soft ground at Rosehill.

“It’s a big ask (to get) 1,500 (metres) first-up and the track will be rain affected,” he said.

“There’s not a lot of depth in this race tomorrow.”

The current race plan is to hold Lamasery back off the speed for the initial stages of the race.

“He’ll probably want to go a bit keener than we’re going to let him,” the trainer said.

“He loves the Rosehill circuit so he’ll be right at home there.”

Lamasery’s main opposition will come from Chris Waller’s Altius, who has won his past two race starts.

“He’s impeccably bred by Redoute’s Choice,” Vandyke conceded.

“(But) it is carrying winter form into this race.

“I’d like to go out on a limb and say we can beat Altius but (I will say) I’m sure he won’t be too far behind.

“The 1500, I think that he’ll run it right out.”

Lamasery has won seven of his 15 race starts during his career and has earned more than $150,000 in prize money.