John O’Shea’s classy colt Foxwedge is preparing to return to Flemington next season, the Sydney sprinter being aimed towards the Group 1 features of the 2012 Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.
Foxwedge will look to emulate Black Caviar and win the 2012 Lightning Stakes - Newmarket Handicap double
The Fastnet Rock three-year-old was one of the most consistent of their age in both Sydney and Melbourne over the past four months, Foxwedge recording two Group victories from five starts since August.
After a first-up win in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, Foxedge narrowly missed out on back-to-back victories when second to Smart Missile in the Group 3 Run To The Rose (1200m).
Next start they ran a credible fourth to upset winner Manawanui in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) before their gritty final-stride success over Masthead in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 1.
From there it was onto Melbourne where Foxwedge missed out on an elite level victory again when beaten a head by rank two-year-old Sepoy in the Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight (1200m) on Victoria Derby Day.
O’Shea is now eyeing more thoroughbred majors for his always-honest galloper, Foxwedge to be aimed at the $750,000 Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 18 and then the $1 million Group 1 Newmarket Handicap(1200m) on March 10.
Last Melbourne Autumn Carnival it was turf queen Black Caviar claiming the Lightning Stakes – Newmarket Handicap double, a feat Foxwedge will look to emulate this coming autumn.
“The people at the place where he is spelling are very happy with him,” O’Shea said.
“He will go to the Lightning (Stakes) and the Newmarket (Handicap) in Melbourne.”
With Peter Moody’s undefeated glamour mare Black Caviar likely to be stepped up in distance targeting races including the $400,000 Group 1 CF Orr Stakes and $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes both over 1400 metres at Caulfield in February, races like the 2012 Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap 2012 become far more achievable goals for young sprinters like Foxwedge.
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