Trainer Paul Messara is happy with the condition of Rekindled Power heading into the 2014 Sandown Guineas, but he admits that he is concerned by the wide barrier that the promising colt will jump from in the Group 2 event at Sandown this weekend.
Dwayne Dunn has been booked to ride Rekindled Power in the 2014 Sandown Guineas this weekend. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Rekindled Power has generally been settled towards the tail of the field in his three race starts to date and Messara told Racing Ahead this morning that he believes jockey Dwayne Dunn may have a difficult time settling the three-year-old in a positive position in the early stages of the Sandown Guineas after he jumps from barrier 12.
“I would have preferred to drawn in and I think that it is going to map awkwardly for us,” Messara said.
“I think that we will be midfield or a little bit further back with only three or four behind us and it does make it difficult because I think the two favourites in the race Lord Aspen and Stratum Star probably get a lovely run from their barriers and there doesn’t look to be a huge amount of speed on paper.”
Rekindled Power made his racing debut with a third place finish in the It’s Betting Season Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury on October 1 and was a credible sixth behind Kuro in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18 before he recorded his maiden race win with a most impressive three and a half lengths win at Bendigo on October 29.
Messara was impressed with the way that Rekindled Power ran away from his rivals in the final stages of his maiden race win and he is happy with the form of the three-year-old heading into the Sandown Guineas on Saturday.
“He has come through it well,” Messara said.
“It was a nice maiden victory and he ran a very good time on the day and for a maiden I think that it rated pretty well.
“The horse just lacks a bit of race craft and that is what we were there to do, try to educate him a bit more and do it in a race where there is no pressure.
“He came out of the Brian Crowley in Sydney and there has been a bit of form out of that race and I think he has some natural improvement to take into this.”
Rekindled Power is currently available at 2014 Sandown Guineas odds of $3.80 and he is on the second line of betting behind Stratum Star ($2.80).
