Talented colt Top Me Up is set to start his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign at Moonee Valley on Saturday after he was included in the 1Print Handicap field.
Bantam (pictured) and Top Me Up are both set to return to the races at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Top Me Up was very well-backed in the lead-up to his racing debut in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Sandown on January 26 and he was forced to do plenty of work in the early stages of the race before he tired late to finished second behind the ill-fated Burnstone.
The Exceed And Excel gelding was given another opportunity to record his maiden race win in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 14 and he was settled in a nice position by Dwayne Dunn in the early stages of the race, but he did not make up a great deal of ground late and he could finish no better than fourth behind Of The Brave, Pride Of Dubai and Sampeah.
Team Hawkes are yet to decide what races they plan to target with Top Me Up, but he has been included in the nominations for the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 12 and he will also likely be entered for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) that will be held at the home of the Melbourne Racing Club on October 10.
Another talented galloper that is set to return to the races in the 1Print Handicap this weekend is Godolphin gelding Bantam.
Bantam made his racing debut with a fifth place finish behind Prompt Return in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day and he claimed his maiden race win when he took out the Adapt Australia Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on November 29.
He started his 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing campaign with a flat effort in the Blue Diamond Prelude and he failed to fire in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28 before he was sent to the spelling paddock after he finished at the tail of the field in the Festival Of Racing 1000 (1000m) at Flemington on March 7.
Bantam will be joined in the 1Print Handicap field by stablemate Demonstrate, who finished fifth behind the talented Jalan Jalan at Flemington on July 18.
Mornington-based Pure Justice, last start winner Equinova, the resuming Destiny’s Reward, debutant Attack The Line, Robbie Laing-trained Him Name Jim and John Sadler-trained Star Planet round out the 1Print Handicap.
