Trainer Paul Messara has underlined the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens as a bold target for classy sprinter Weatherly, during the forthcoming 2017 Autumn Racing Carnival.

Weatherly has made only three appearances at the races and has not been seen competitively since his two-year-old season, but has shown plenty of top-line ability amongst strong company and spring barrier trials.

Revealing that the son of Beneteau will be given the opportunity to contest a few minor starts through coming months, Messara told AAP that he is eyeing a race like The Galaxy 2017 as a serious target for the three-year-old come autumn.

“He’s probably going to enter back into the benchmark scene in handicaps and see how we go from there,” Messara said.

“He’s a very good horse but he’s had a couple of little hiccups and the time of year now is difficult.

“It’s just a matter of the horse staying sound.”

Weatherly’s sire Beneteau died of a neurological disorder after only his second breeding season in 2013, and Massara believes that his horse has the potential to underline himself as the stud’s best progeny.

“Beneteau never got a chance to race over much further but no doubt he would have got a trip in time,” he said.

“I thought maybe 2000 metres as a later horse.

“It’s a shame we lost him because statistically he was going to be a top-class stallion but that’s the way it is.”

Weatherly ran on for a credible sixth in the Listed Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) on debut on January 26^th, but was undoubtedly in peak condition when he recorded a dominant and near-two length win in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) on February 20^th.

Last seen running third in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) on March 5^th, Weatherly has performed particularly well through several barrier trials leading into his competitive return.

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