Trainer Shaune Ritchie has made the call to tip consistent performer Sultan of Swing (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) out for a spell.
“He has gone for a break,” Ritchie said. “He has done a terrific job and has been in work for almost a year. We spaced his races and he ran through that whole winter period, his form is impeccable.”
Despite a runner-up finish at his last start in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), Ritchie saw signs the seven-year-old gelding had come to the end of his preparation.
“When he went to the start in the Windsor Park Plate, even then he was going down not as freely as he had in the past,” he said.
“We had a talk to George (Simon), Dominic (Li) and Maryanne (Simon) who manage and own the horse and we felt if we had gone back a second time we would probably have got a sub-standard run.”
Sultan of Swing has been enjoying a top run of form of late, winning two of his last six starts and finishing second in the other four. Ritchie is aiming to resume the son of Bachelor Duke in late summer once the tracks have started to soften.
