A trip to Brisbane for a tilt at the 2014 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) is on the agenda for veteran gelding Speediness.
Speediness will head to the spelling paddock after he runs in the Sandown Stakes this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Speediness has been a consistent performer at the highest level of racing for the past 18 months, but he is yet to record a maiden win at Group 1 level after finishing third in the 2013 Emirates Stakes (1600m), second in the 2014 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and second in the 2014 Toorak Handicap (1600m).
Trainer Colin Scott believes that the Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap are both ideal races for Speediness and he told Racing Ahead this morning that he now plans to keep the Testa Rossa gelding to races between 1200 metres and 1400 metres.
“That has already been discussed with the owners and that is where we will go,” Scott said.
“Stradbroke and Doomben 10,000 I would imagine and it will just be a case of him having a couple of lead-up runs in Sydney on his way to Brisbane.
“That is yet to be set down, but those two races will definitely be his goals and we will be looking to keep him no further than 1400 from now on.
“He is a very good horse over 1200 and 1400 and now that he is getting a bit of age about him we just need to look after him a bit more.
“The horse has still got the ability, his trackwork has been phenomenal, he looks great and I am hoping that it is just the firm tracks that are pulling him up.”
Speediness failed to perform at his best on the firm Flemington track in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday, but he was included in the nominations for the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) that were released yesterday.
Scott said that Speediness will be included in the acceptances for the race that will be released this morning and he expects the seven-year-old to contest the race as long as the wet weather that is expected to hit Melbourne on Friday and Saturday comes to fruition.
“If we get the weather that is expected he will take his place on Saturday,” Scott said.
“We will accept and we will just monitor the weather.
“The horse just doesn’t let go om firm tracks and we won’t be risking him on those sort of tracks again, but if we get the weather that is expected on Friday and Saturday then he will definitely take his place.”
Luke Nolen has been booked to ride Speediness if he contests the Sandown Stakes this weekend.
