Co-trainer Jamie Edwards has confirmed that Sertorius is on track to return to racing in the 2015 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on February 28.
Sertorius is set to return to Group 1 racing during the 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Sertorius was set for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) during the 2014 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, but he failed to perform at his best and he was sent to the spelling paddock after he finished ninth in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 11 and eighth in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) at his home track on October 22.
Edwards told RSN that Sertorius has taken plenty of benefit from his stint in the spelling paddock and he said that the Galileo gelding will make a public appearance in either a trial or a jump out before he starts his autumn campaign in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).
“Sertorius is great,” Edwards said.
“He will probably have a jump-out at the Farm on Tuesday or a trial on Geelong on Wednesday.
“If all is good and my fitness is good then we will go to the Futurity the following week.
“The horse is perfect and he is in great order.
“He is running time on the tracking track, which is what he can do when he is fresh and at this stage I could not be any happier with him.”
Sertorius started his 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing campaign with a close second behind Moment Of Change in the Futurity Stakes and he was unable to record a race win, but he produced a string of impressive performances in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m), Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m), Group 1 The BMW (2400m), Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) and Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m).
Edwards admitted at the end of last year that he is unsure whether Sertorius is capable of winning a race at the highest level during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and is considering giving the veteran stayer a freshen-up following his Melbourne campaign before he heads to Brisbane for races like the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 9, the Group 2 Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) on May 30 and the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) on June 6.
Sertorius has recorded nine wins from his 35 race starts since he made his racing debut in 2010 and has accumulated over $1 million in prizemoney for owner Mike Palmer.
