Promising Oscar Racing galloper Redmayne is back from a break and ready to be set alight on the three-year-old campaign he had been targeted at from Day 1.
The son of Manhattan Rain is entered in Friday’s last race, the $60,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1200m, a race that will give trainer Laurie Laxon a better guide where he is at, one month before the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge kicks off with the Group 3 Dester Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) on March 26.
Redmayne gave an early indication of his ability last year when he lived up to his debut smack-up fourth to Lim’s Invincible in an Initiation race over 1000m, with a neck-second to Cavatina three weeks later in another Initiation race, but over 1100m, before hitting bullseye third-up again at Initiation level, in a 1200m event on October 30, two weeks after his last run.
Three weeks later, Laxon had one more roll of the dice with Redmayne in a Novice race over 1200m. Granted, the opposition was meatier, but connections were expecting better than seeing him beat one home with the winner Skywalk, one of the boom three-year-olds this year, almost 12 lengths ahead.
In hindsight, the Laxon camp thought they might have overstretched Redmayne so early in his young racing career.
“I think we pushed him a bit last prep. We should have given him a break after he won,” said assistant-trainer Shane Ellis.
“The horse was telling us he had had enough and Bossy (Glen Boss) also agreed he needed a break.”
Caught wide but with cover in that last race that was a bridge too far, Redmayne was the first horse beaten upon cornering.
Boss knew that was not the real Redmayne that rocked up on that day, and was more than willing to stick with him when he returned.
“Bossy has done a lot of work with him since we brought him back in work,” said Ellis.
“Mentally, the horse can be highly-strung, a bit hot in the head, but Bossy has taught him to relax better.
“He ran a very good trial last Thursday. He led throughout and was very strong to the line.”
Given Redmayne’s go-forward racing pattern, Ellis was delighted with the inside barrier draw they were handed at his comeback race.
“He drew a good barrier which will help as he’s an on-the-speed type of horse,” said Ellis.
“He’s in very good form and let’s hope he will run a good race on Friday. And then hopefully, it’s onwards and upwards to the 3YO series.
“From Day 1, the horse gave us every indication he would be a Guineas horse. He is an Australian-bred by Manhattan Rain but CK (owner Phua Chian Kin) got him out of New Zealand; he will definitely get a mile.”
Ellis was referring to the third and final Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) which will be run on May 14. The second Leg, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) will be run on April 14.
