Darren Weir has revealed Group 1 winner Palentino is poised to ramp up his preparations in the lead-up to a potentially glittering 2016 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
Palentino’s preparations for the 2016 Spring Carnival will increase through the coming weeks. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
For a rising four-year-old, Palentino has made only a handful of appearances at the races since making his competitive debut in September last year; posting three wins and as many minors through only seven starts.
Weir told Racing Victoria he is yet to settle on path for the son of Teofilo when he resumes in spring, but the colt will be set for multiple Group 1 targets with a view towards extending an already impressive record.
“We could kick him off in the Regal Roller at Caulfield in August and then go to the Memsie Stakes and the Makybe Diva,” Weir said.
“Or we could kick off in the P.B. Lawrence and go to the Memsie and the Makybe or we could wait for races like the Rupert Clarke and the Toorak Handicap.
“It will just depend on where he’s at in his preparation.”
Palentino stamped himself as a colt to follow when debuting to racing for a close second in the Viatek Maiden Plate (1200m) at Ballarat on September 30th before posting his maiden race win in the Ecycle Solutions Plate (1300m) a fortnight later.
Returning to the paddock after beating a classy field to the line in the Listed Hilton Hotels & Resorts Stakes (1400m) on November 7th, Palentino clearly required a run to find form when resuming this year for seventh in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) on February 6th.
Unlucky to finish second in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) on protest on February 20th, the colt out of Palatine Hill produced undoubtedly a career-best performance to date to win the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) on March 18th; returning to the paddock after placing second in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on March 18th.
Palentino is currently available at early odds of $34 in 2016 Cox Plate betting markets with leading online bookie Ladbrokes.com.au.
