Golden Slipper winner Vancouver is ready to step up his 2015 Spring Carnival campaign with a barrier trial at Randwick next week.
Vancouver is forward enough to run in a barrier trial at Randwick on July 31. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse has returned from an overseas holiday and immediately after watching Vancouver run the best of the morning on the tracks on Tuesday, pencilled in a barrier trial at Randwick on July 31.
“Vancouver stole the show this AM with Steve O’Halloran in the saddle, “He feels terrific.” Trials @royalrandwick 31st,” Waterhouse revealed via twitter.
Waterhouse’s top work rider Steve O’Halloran continued to give rave reports about Vancouver every time they go around together in early morning trackwork.
“Terrific” and “feels great” is what Steve O’Halloran said after partnering Vancouver over 1000m. The champion colt came home his last 200m in 11.5 seconds in a display that left everyone smiling from ear to ear. The colt was unquestionably Steve’s best of the morning,” Waterhouse wrote on her website.
Vancouver went through his two year old season undefeated with Waterhouse sending the Medaglia D’Oro colt straight to the spelling paddock following his sensational win in the 2015 Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
Waterhouse doesn’t regret not giving Vancouver the chance to go on and win the two year old triple crown by running in the Group 1 $1m ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 4 and in the Group 1 $400,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick a fortnight later.
The First Lady Of The Turf is ecstatic with the way the colt has returned from a spell and is glad she gave him that extra time to mature leading into the Spring Carnival.
“I am thrilled to bits with Vancouver as anyone would be,” Waterhouse said.
“Spelling this colt instead of aiming for the Triple Crown has been a blessing.”
“He has furnished into a man and he is all set to take the spring both in Sydney and Melbourne by storm.”
Vancouver’s early Spring Carnival goal is the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 12 before he heads to the Melbourne for the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10 and then onto the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
In early Golden Rose betting Vancouver heads the market order at $3 ahead of the 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Pride Of Dubai at $7 and the John O’Shea trained Mogador at $9.
While In Cox Plate markets headed by Hong Kong star Able Friend and top weight for age performer Contributer at $9, Vancouver is listed on the fourth line of betting at $13.
