Group One performer Sweepstake will make a low key return this spring.
Awapuni trainer Mike Breslin is happy with the progress being made by the lightly-raced daughter of Per Incanto following surgery earlier this year and will ease her quietly back into action.
“She’s obviously up to a really high standard, but she’s still eligible for Rating 65 so I’ll be taking an easy option with her before we look at some better races.”
She was a maiden winner at Waverley last spring and then finished fourth in the Listed Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton ahead of her third placing in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).Sweepstake hasn’t raced since she was unplaced at Wellington in January.
“She had a bone chip removed and the operation went well,” Breslin said. “Looking back, it probably occurred in the Guineas. She lugged in, which isn’t like her.“She seemed fine afterwards and we thought she would win at Trentham and it was picked up then. She’s good now and her regular rider Rosie Myers says the horse feels super.”
Meanwhile, an early trip to Christchurch is being considered for Sweepstake’s promising stablemate Ozil.“He could run in a Rating 65 over 1400m around here and there’s some chance he may go down to Christchurch for the Guineas Trial on October 7, we’ll monitor the track conditions,” Breslin said of his Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas entry.
Successful once from four starts, Ozil has been dogged by rain-affected ground and last time out was fourth in the Listed Wanganui Guineas on a Heavy 10 surface.“It was a difficult decision to make about running at Wanganui, there were only six runners for $60,000,” Breslin said.
“He’s got a massive stride and the only time he’s run on top of the ground was when he won at Wairoa last season.”
