As firstly an assistant trainer to Bart Cummings and more recently in his own right, Nigel Blackiston has handled many quality stayers in his career and he believes Verifier (NZ) (Tivaci) could head down that path in future.
Blackiston needs to tick off an important box with the last-start Flemington 2000-metre winner, to see him perform over 2500m, which is the distance he will be racing over in the $200,000 Mahogany Challenge Final at Flemington on Saturday.
Blackiston said by all his indicators, 2500m should suit the three-year-old gelded son of Tivaci but until Verifier does race over the distance, he can’t be certain.
“I’d like to think 2500 metres would be right up his alley,” Blackiston said.
“Obviously we haven’t tried him over it but he’s had four runs now over the 2000 metres, including a trip to Adelaide. He’s very well grounded and he’s ready for the trip.”
After Verifier’s win at Flemington on June 3, where he still won after being shuffled back and held up in the run, Blackiston decided to wait almost a month for his next assignment.
“He seems nice and settled. I purposely left the space between his last run and now,” the Ballarat-based trainer said.
“He’s freshened up and he’s bright enough to be competitive. He’s a lovely style of horse and he’s developing while he is progressing. He looks amazing.”
At his most recent win, Verifier gave Irish jockey Robbie Downey his first Flemington winner and he will ride him again.
“I’m hoping with a nice ride he can get nice and relaxed early then he can start riding his race from the 800m. Hopefully he’ll get clean air and come with a run at the right time,” Blackiston said of Verifier, who will have a spell after Saturday and come back for staying races in the autumn.
“Very few horses have progressed from the Mahogany series into the spring and done well,” he said.
“He’s a lovely style horse and I’m hoping he can run 2400m. He’s got a bit of quality about him and with each preparation he’ll continue to get bigger and stronger.”
Blackiston is only training 15 horses from his Ballarat stable and said his philosophy is quality over quantity.
He also trained former New Zealand mare Passione (NZ) (Proisir) to win at Sandown Hillside on June 14 in a Benchmark 70 over 1400m and said she is likely to run at the same track next Wednesday.
