A searching gallop by Japanese import Tosen Stardom saw him given the green light to kick off his Cox Plate campaign and take his place in the field in the Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Trainer Darren Weir, above, will saddle up Tosen Stardom in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer Darren Weir was forced to give Tosen Stardom an unscheduled gallop at Warrnambool this morning after Racing Victoria stewards alerted the leading trainer that the six year old had been barred from racing for three months after suffering a bleeding attack in Sydney during the Autumn Carnival before joining his stable.
Under the Australian Rules Of Racing, any horse that has suffered a bleed attack for the first time must gallop over 1000m before a steward before being cleared to race again.
The stewards informed Weir of the situation yesterday at Ladbrokes Park at Sandown and he was willing to give Tosen Stardom a gallop at Warrnambool this morning.
“The stewards were a great help and they said that you could do a 1000m gallop with him this morning and if you are happy for him to do it we will get a steward to watch him and if he passes you will be allowed to race on Saturday,” Weir told Sky Racing News.
“He worked very well, He went a good surging 1000m on heavy ground and pulled up well and got through it well. All systems go for Saturday.”
Weir said that Tosen Stardom would have had to do some fast work anyway but handled the extra work load with ease.
“He probably just went a little bit quicker than he would normally go. He probably would have did a 1000m at about 14s on that heavy ground,” Weir said.
“But he had to go a bit quicker than that obviously but he got through it no worries. That sort of speed is no problem for him.”
Tosen Stardom was due to run in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 9 but his Sydney Autumn Carnival plans had to be abandoned following the bleed attack.
The Japanese galloper was then transferred to Weir who said that he has had no trouble with him since he joined his stable.
“We have just trained him normally to be honest and haven’t really worried about it and there has been no signs of it since we have had him,” Weir said.
“I would be pretty confident that the problem, I don’t think has been much of a problem.”
Weir was keen to get Tosen Stardom to the race track and to get some experience of the Moonee Valley track to help him if he makes it into the field for the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
Weir was also mindful of the fact that the winner of the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes gains an automatic entry into the Cox Plate.
“If he is good enough we are pretty keen to head towards the Cox Plate. It gives him a look at the Valley and whoever wins the race gets an automatic entry in,” Weir said.
“The timing is right, happy with the horse. If he didn’t get through the gallop this morning we had the Makybe Diva as a backup.”
“He got through it well and looking forward to Saturday.”
Irish jockey John Allen gets the ride on Tosen Stardom who has drawn barrier five in the fourteen horse field.
“John Allen is a great rider. He is a great asset to the stable. He is very good on race day. I would be happy to put him on anything,” Weir said.
Tosen Stardom heads the market order for the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes at $5.50 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of The United States at $6.50 and P.B. Lawrence Stakes winner Miss Rose De Lago at $7.
Market order for the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5.50 Tosen Stardom, $6.50 The United States, $7 Miss Rose De Lago, $7.50 Jameka, Mahuta, $9.50 Sauvito, $14 The Cleaner, $15 Entirely Platinum, $18 Set Square, $20 Jacquinot Bay, $21 Awesome Rock, Excess Knowledge, $26 Tavago, $41 Signoff, $51 Real Love.
