Ciaron Maher hasn’t completely ruled out a 2017 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas bid this spring for his undefeated colt Merchant Navy but believes the up-and-comer might be a better sprinter than middle distance performer.
Ciaron Maher could bypass the 2017 Caulfield Guineas this spring with Merchant Navy and keep the colt to the shorter distance carnival features. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The progressive son of Fastnet Rock has won all three of his career starts to date including most recently the Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in late April.
That success had Maher pencilling in an early spring campaign that would see Merchant Navy target September’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) before stepping up to the mile for the $2 million Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
Futures Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas betting are currently led by the Tony McEvoy-trained Royal Symphony after the Domesday colt bolted home for a dominant 1400m Flemington win on June 24.
Merchant Navy meanwhile is listed as a $17 shot in the pre-nomination Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas odds despite being far from a confirmed runner in the classic won last spring by the Team Hawkes-trained Divine Prophet (2016).
The recent work of Merchant Navy however has Maher thinking that, despite the youngster’s two strong wins over 1400m in April, he may be better suited to the spring Group 1 sprint races.
“He’s put on a bit of muscle and looks a much stronger horse,” Maher told Racing Victoria.
“He was a late foal and was quite immature as a two-year-old and I always thought he might be a Golden Rose or a Caulfield Guineas horse but his pedigree is fairly sharp and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was even sharper this time around.
“The original plan was the Golden Rose into the Caulfield Guineas but I’ll be guided by how he comes up and how he trials.”
Should Maher go away from a Caulfield Guineas bid with Merchant Navy, the rising three-year-old is likely to come up against gun stablemate Jukebox who is also gearing up for his spring return.
As a two-year-old the Snitzel colt enjoyed successive summer wins including the two length Restricted Listed Inglis Premier (1200m) win at Caulfield on February 4.
His main aim shapes-up as the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight on Victoria Derby Day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival in November.
Access all the best upcoming spring racing odds and offers online now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
