Briefs for 8th January 2015

Australia beckons National winner; Blinkers for Hardline; Smart 3YO side-lined by injury.

Australia beckons National winner

Riccarton jumping hero Eric The Viking is back in work to prepare for an Australian campaign later in the year.

The nine-year-old won the Koral Steeples in early August before backing up seven days later to triumph in the Grand National Steeples a week later.

“He’s at Dean Cunningham’s place on the treadmill and he’ll come back to me in a few weeks’ time,” trainer Aaron Bidlake said.

“He’ll probably have a run at Wairoa and all going well we’ll have a crack at the Great Eastern at Oakbank and the Grand Annual at Warrnambool.”

Blinkers for Hardline

Queensland’s Listed Karaka Million hopeful Hardline will have a jump-out at Randwick on Friday.

"I’ll put blinkers on him to sharpen him up," trainer Liam Birchley said.

"He will then fly out to New Zealand next Tuesday night and that will give him enough time to settle in for the Karaka Million on January 25."

Birchley also has three runners – Saga Of The Storm, Flamenco and Pepperano – in Saturday’s Magic Millions Classic on the Gold Coast.

Smart 3YO side-lined by injury

The promising career of Elvis is on hold after surgery to remove bone chips from his knees.

The problem was diagnosed after the three-time winner was unplaced last time out at Ellerslie in the Gr.2 Great Northern Guineas.

“Of course it's disappointing, but the good news is that it explains why he was chopping and changing stride in the Guineas. And the prognosis is good,” owner-trainer Warren Bolton said.

Elvis will be confined to his box for six weeks, followed by a further six weeks in the paddock and is expected to be back in action later in the year.