An unraced Sebring colt debuting at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday could go all the way to the 2013 Victoria Derby in November with Woodend trainer Mark Ashby looking forward to saddling up his first city starter with Bring Back.
Ashby has officially held a trainer’s license since the beginning of the 2009/10 racing season but the rurally-based horseman, who has only three horses currently in work, is yet to have a metro runner.
That changes on the weekend with two-year-old Bring Back, a bargain buy for just $12,000 after failing to attract a bid and eventually being passed in at last year’s Melbourne Premier Sale, to have their maiden run in the first at Flemington, the $80,000 Nursery Plate (1100m).
Drawn in gate seven of 10 with Brad Rawiller in the saddle Bring Back is a $21 outsider in the markets.
As with all of these types of races it’s an open betting field without much but breeding to go by with only three having had a previous run, the David Hayes-trained The Yowie coming off a second at Moonee Valley the current $5 favourite.
After an eye-catching hitout however Ashby is willing to take his chances against the big trainers with Bring Back who he believes can be competitive.
“We had the option of going there (Flemington), waiting for the Blue Diamond Preview (Saturday week at Caulfield) or to Werribee, but he trialled the other day and he trialled all right, so I thought why not,” Ashby said.
“You wonder if they’re up to it or they’re not up to it, but it will be nice to go down there and see where he’s at with the other two-year-olds.”
There is a chance that regardless of the result tomorrow young Bring Back will be spelled to mature ahead of the autumn where Ashby will bring them back and put them through the grades.
If all goes to plan and the horse lives up to their potential and proves a genuine staying type Ashby said they would aim for the sky and target the Melbourne Cup Carnival’s $1.5 million Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) in November.
“I don’t think he’s so much a sprinter, I think he’ll be better over a bit of distance that’s for sure,” he said.
“Certainly there are lots of good races for him.
“I wouldn’t mind the Gibson Carmichael down the track, I think he’ll run a nice mile out, and there’s the (Victoria) Derby at the end of the year.
“If he can stay then that’s what I’d be looking at. He mightn’t get to Derby distance, but I certainly a mile I reckon would suit him right down to the ground.”
The $120,000 Listed Gibson Carmichael Stakes (1600m) runs at Flemington on May 18, 2012.
They certainly have the breeding to suggest a Victoria Derby campaign could be the right way to go being from Catbird mare Night And Day, a half-sister to Victoria Derby winner and Melbourne Cup runner-up back in 1995 Nothin’ Leica Dane.
Follow the progress of the current crop of juveniles that could be there in the 2013 Victoria Derby field at the end of the year right here at Races.com.au.
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