Group 1 winning sprinter Tiger Tees is still on track for a Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign even though he was beaten in a Hawkesbury barrier trial on Monday.
Tiger Tees is likely to kick off his Autumn Carnival campaign in the Expressway Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Tiger Tees was having his first public appearance since the Melbourne Spring Carnival when he ran second to Path To Freedom in a 760m Hawkesbury barrier trial.
But trainer Joe Pride is unperturbed and will push forward with a start in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on January 30 the eight year old’s likely starting point.
Pride explained that Tiger Tees doesn’t always excel in his barrier trials and was reasonably happy with the hit out.
“He seems to know the difference between raceday and trial day,” Pride told Racenet.
“He was just his normal self this morning and he probably only just got a pass mark but that’s all he ever does in his trials.
“He’s a quirky horse, one of the strangest I’ve trained but a good one.”
Tiger Tees claimed his one and only Group 1 victory with a narrow win in the $400,000 Bloodstock.com.au Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Carnival but has only been placed once more from a further seven attempts at the elite level.
Following his win in the Galaxy, Tigers ran fourth to Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) then third to Hana’s Goal in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) both at Randwick.
Pride gave Tiger Tees three runs during the 2015 Spring Carnival but the eight year old failed to fill a place but was still able to pick up some minor prizemoney cheques with the Group 1s paying down to eighth spot.
Tiger Tees picked up $6,000 when fifth to stablemate mate and younger half brother Terravista in the Group 2 $300,000 G1X.com.au Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and then collected two $20,000 cheques for his sixth to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and for his eighth to Delectation in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington.
The Dubawi gelding has been a great money spinner for the Pride stable and has collected over $1.23 million for his thirteen wins, four seconds and two thirds from thirty-five starts.
