PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY Championships winner Territory Express is back in action at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
And whilst his trainer Paul Niceforo is very happy with the gelding’s progress, he says punters won’t see the best of him until he gets over more ground this campaign.
Niceforo acknowledges it is a tough task first-up taking on open company sprinters in the $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) under Quality conditions.
Territory Express hasn’t raced since an excellent third from an outside barrier to Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner Just Folk in the Group 3 Lord Mayors Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm on June 1 during the Brisbane winter carnival.
He was given a break after that race and connections had hoped to take the now five-year-old south for the Melbourne spring.
However, a setback forced a change of plans, and the $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) against his own age at set weights plus penalties at Rosehill on November 9 is his new target.
“Territory Express will go into the Five Diamonds third up,” Niceforo said on Thursday morning.
“He was also third up when he won the PMC Final (1400m) at Randwick in April, and will go to the Five Diamonds after running in the Prelude (1500m) there on October 26.”
Territory Express has trialled once in preparation for his resumption and, though beaten easily, chased strongly from well back against the tearaway leader Iknowastar (an Alan Brown rival) in a 1207m hitout on a heavy Warwick Farm track on September 30.
In a capacity Alan Brown line-up for such good prizemoney, unfortunately Territory Express drew the outside at 23 (which includes six emergencies).
“Whilst I didn’t want him to draw inside as he likes galloping room, the outside barrier certainly makes his task harder,” Niceforo said.
“I’m happy with how Territory Express is going, and this run will bring him on.
“But all his work indicates he is going to get over ground this campaign, and I feel he will really shine when he gets to 2400m.”
Territory Express’ PMC Final victory was a huge boost to his earnings, which currently stand at almost $900,000 from four wins and five placings from only 16 starts.
Niceforo has recalled Newcastle jockey Ash Morgan for Territory Express after his PMC Final winning rider, leading apprentice Zac Lloyd, stuck with his recent Group 2 Golden Pendant winner Makarena.
“Ash won a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) on him at Newcastle 12 months ago at his only ride, and I’m happy to have him back on,” he said.
Territory Express has had a tendency to be slow into stride, and a barrier blanket will be used on Saturday to help him remain settled in the stalls.
The Alan Brown has attracted several provincial-trained horses along with two others who featured at last month’s Newcastle Cup carnival.
Newcastle’s Kris Lees runs Rustic Steel (Jay Ford), Hawkesbury’s Brad Widdup accepted with Phearson but hasn’t declared a rider (he drew poorly as well), and Gosford’s Adam Duggan has Diamond Diesel (Dylan Gibbons), who is sixth emergency.
Victorian Here To Shock, who won the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle, has Nash Rawiller back on board.
Rawiller had to forego the mount on his Newcastle Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) winner Terra Mater, whom he also rode to victory in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong on September 1. Regan Bayliss replaces him.
Story John Curtis, October 10, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
Comments