Three on the bounce for Recommendation
The Ciaron Maher-trained Recommendation completed a Stakes race treble for the campaign at Caulfield with his victory in the Group 3 Vale Black Caviar (1100m).
Recommendation took out the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) followed by the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1200m) to start his campaign and was five weeks between runs leading into Saturday's success.
Maher said Recommendation had made improvement through the winter after being beaten just over two lengths in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) during an autumn campaign.
He said it may be time to revisit starting Recommendation again at a track away from Caulfield, a course he seems to love.
"The fields have been small, and he's been able to get to do what he wants but he's certainly gone to another level this prep and the team have done a super job with him," Maher said.
"He just seems to bounce off the bend and bridles up, so we'll have a look at Flemington and see how he goes."
Hat-trick for Rise At Dawn
Rise At Dawn has continued his rise through the ranks with a brave win in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m).
The Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained four-year-old registered the seventh win of his 12-start career and his third in succession on Saturday.
Rise At Dawn was headed early in the straight before digging deep to score by a long neck.
"It's incredible, he just keeps ever so slightly raising the bar," J D Hayes said.
"Full credit goes to the horse, he's been up a long time, he's had a freshen up.
"You never turn a horse out in winning form, so if he's sound and well and eating and licking the bin, he'll tell us, but I'm sure we can get a bit crafty with our placement.
"He definitely looks like a horse with a nice win in him."
Golden spring plans for Craig
The Golden Eagle at Rosehill is still two months away but that is the direction Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young would like to head with imported galloper Craig.
The three-time winner from six starts collected the Stow Robotics Handicap (1400m) coming off a short break and following a jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday.
Busuttin admitted it was not usual practise for the team to trial their gallopers so close to a race but were fearful of missing out on a run on Saturday.
"There wasn't a lot around after this, so he did have a very, very quiet trial just hard held, and it's obviously worked," Busuttin said.
The stable will need to plan carefully their path to Golden Eagle with the gelding's rating still quite low, but Bustuttin said there was 10 million reasons to head in that direction.
"We're still a long way from that but it certainly gives you something to think about," Busuttin said.
Young Werther getting better with age
After a debut win at Geelong, it took Young Werther another 22 starts to win for the second time.
Success in the Quayclean Handicap (2000m) on Saturday was Young Werther's fifth from a career now spanning 34 starts, prompting Danny O'Brien to quip the gelding is getting better with age.
"He was always a little backward horse as a three and four-year-old," O'Brien said.
"His last two Winters have been in Brisbane, and he's come back both times really, really well.
"I think he's probably going to go to a better level again this Spring and he only needs to find a length or two to win a nice race. He's been around the mark in a quite a few decent Group Ones."
The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5 is likely to be Young Werther's next assignment, a race he has run second and third in previously.
"He doesn't get the penalty, and he's got a great record at Flemington over the 2000 (metres), so we'll use that to see where he goes to from there," O'Brien said.
"We've always stayed away from Caulfield because he's never really gone well here but he's obviously won today so there's a chance he could go from the Turnbull into the Caulfield Cup."
Convenor turns form around
Having multiple training venues for the Ciaron Maher team has been beneficial in turning around the form of Convenor who may be aimed at a Stakes race after his win in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1800m).
The Group 3 MRC Foundation Stakes (2000m) back at Caulfield on September 21 could be on the agenda after Saturday's success.
Convenor has spent considerable time at Maher's Fingal property on the Mornington Peninsula.
"We had Kettle Hill here that nearly caused an upset like this horse did a couple of weeks ago," Maher said.
"Down at Fingal, I've got this new track down there, and they seem to be thriving off it. The team down there have done a super job
"I was just saying to the owners, he's got something there, I just haven't been able to get it out of him, but hopefully he's back in form now."
Stewards withdraw Skybird from Cockram
Despite being passed fit by the vet, Skybird was ultimately withdrawn by Racing Victoria Stewards after sitting down in the gates prior to the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m).
Steward in charge of Saturday's meeting Corie Waller explained Skybird was fractious in the barriers after being loaded and became momentarily cast.
"The vet had a quick look and passed her fit, but based on the evidence looking at the film, which the vet wasn't 100 per cent privy to, it was obvious that she shouldn't take her place in the field based on the position she got herself in," Waller said.
"What happens around at the gates is very quick and they (vets) don't see 100 per cent of what has happened. They might be in a different position and might not have seen the incident.
"We have the inside steward, James Hitchcock looking at the film and he can relay through exactly what's happened and watch it over a number of times to make a better assessment as to whether the horse should take its place in the field."
