The 2012 Villiers Stakes running at Warwick Farm Saturday week as part of the Sydney Summer Series has been ruled out as a target for Jason Coyle’s last start winner Scream Machine who will be saved for more lucrative races in the new season.
Scream Machine will not race in the 2012 Villiers Stakes being saved for the autumn instead
Coyle will give the Excites four-year-old, last seen posting their third career win from 15 starts in a Benchmark 85 over 2000m at Rosehill on December 8, one more run this time in before sending them out to the paddock to prepare for an ambitious 2013 campaign.
The original aim for the gelding, purchased for a steal with connections paying just $13,000 for them as a yearling at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sales back in 2010, was to run in the $175,000 Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) on December 22.
The Villiers Stakes would have been Scream Machine’s first black type assignment since their distant ninth to Brambles in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) in Brisbane back in June.
Instead Coyle has decided to run them at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday in the $85,000 Greg Houston Plumbing Handicap (1900m), a much easier assignment, with regular rider Kathy O’Hara maintaining her association with the current $211,000 earner.
“He has done very well since winning on Saturday,” Coyle said.
“He is fit, healthy and I couldn’t be happier with him heading into this race.
“From the barrier (eight of 11), as at his previous outings, I will leave it up to the pilot.
“Kathy is riding in great form and rides the horse very well.
“He has backed up well in the past, and the way he has recovered from last week I am confident he will race well again.”
Exactly what races they will target when bought back next year is still being decided by Coyle but one thing he is sure of is that the horse has a black type win or two in them with the Sydney Autumn Carnival and the Brisbane Winter Festival both possibilities.
“This start will be his last this time in,” Coyle said of Saturday’s Rosehill assignment.
“This will give him time to have a break while we decide on plans for Sydney, and possibly Brisbane.”
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