First-year trainer Dom Sutton may have fallen just short of a fairytale maiden Group 1 win in last weekend’s Caulfield Guineas, but the young horseman will now eye off a win on racing’s biggest day.
Sutton confirmed Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth), who fell just a half-head short of Private Life, will head to the Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) on Victoria Derby Day at Flemington.
“When he had that really soft first-up run (McNeil Stakes) it put into consideration he could have four runs for the prep,” he explained.
“He has just taken improvement each time, in the Prelude he had a lot of improvement to come coat-wise and he still had a little bit there on Saturday as well and that’s really tightened him up.
“The way he’s presenting now is almost bang on.
“I think the form has been pretty good out of the Guineas for horses without winning and then going on to the Carbine Club … you can’t turn your head away for a A$500,000 race.”
Crosshaven finished fourth behind Ole Kirk in the 2020 Caulfield Guineas and went on to win the Carbine Club, while Dalasan finished fifth in 2019 and Levindi sixth in 2017, before both likewise went on to win the Carbine Club.
The Ballarat-based horseman said consideration was given to the G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) next weekend, but he feels leaving the horse in Melbourne at the 1600 metres is the best option.
“We looked at it and discussed it for a short while, but we just think at this stage he’s probably not ready for the 10 furlongs,” he said of the Spring Champion Stakes.
“I think he’ll get 10 furlongs in time and he will be a 2000-metre horse.
“But he is quite a big, gangly horse, so to take him up to Sydney on the other leg when he’s just starting to put things together down here made Melbourne a better decision.”
Caulfield Guineas third placegetter Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) will also head to to the November 2 contest.
Sutton said autumn targets could include the Australian Guineas or The Kiwi, a NZ$3.5 million slot race restricted to Kiwi-bred three-year-olds over 1500m in March at Ellerslie.
Stablemate Khadime, who finished third last Saturday, is likely to join Feroce at Flemington on Derby Day and run in the Gr.3 Vanity Stakes (1400m).
