Haptic To Take Up Running In 2015 San Domenico Stakes

Trainer John O’Shea has confirmed that Haptic will take up the running in the early stages of the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow.

Haptic has the chance to record an upset win in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Haptic has the chance to record an upset win in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Haptic showed a great deal of tactical speed as a two-year-old and he led from start to finish in the Place Multi Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on January 24 and the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) at the same venue on February 14 before he tired late in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.

O’Shea believes that there is only one way to ride Haptic and he told Racing Ahead that he will instruct jockey James McDonald to press forward on the Exceed And Excel gelding in the early stages of the 2015 San Domenico Stakes.

“That is his go, he is a free-running horse,” O’Shea said.

“There is a little bit of speed there and Headwater will probably go forward, but I’d say they will be happy enough to take a sit because this bloke is tuned up and ready to run a race.

“These are his sort of bread and butter races because if he is going to be competitive in the spring, he needs to be competitive here.”

O’Shea revealed earlier in the week that he believes Vancouver will prove tough to beat in the San Domenico Stakes, but he is not ruling Haptic out of contention.

The Godolphin trainer said that he has been thrilled with the way that Haptic has come back since being gelded at the end of his two-year-old campaign and he believes that the three-year-old will give the Golden Slipper winner something to catch.

“It is a very strong version of the San Domenico and we are under no illusions as to the quality of Vancouver, but he has trialed really well,” O’Shea said.

“He was gelded and strengthened up beautiful from his two-year-old and this is the right type of race for him.

“If Vancouver has any chinks in his armour we will keep him busy.

“I am really happy with him and he will run well.”

Haptic is booked on a flight to Dubai in just over a fortnight and he is said to continue his racing career under the care of Godolphin in the United Arab Emirates before potentially heading to the team of Saeed Bin Suroor in the United Kingdom.

Haptic is currently available at 2015 San Domenico Stakes odds of $7.50 and he is on the fifth line of betting behind Golden Slipper winner Vancouver ($2.50), Team Snowden-trained Redzel ($4.60), last start winner Japonisme ($5.50) and Arrowfield Stud-owned King’s Troop ($7).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.