Trainer Steven Burridge was very pleased with Hermano Menor’s first-up run from his stalled Dubai trip and can only hope he fares even better at his next start this Sunday.
The Duporth five-year-old was one of three Burridge horses who went to Dubai earlier in the year. Unfortunately, only Elite Excalibur raced (five times), albeit without winning.
Jay Eff Express and Hermano Menor met with problems and never got a chance to face the Meydan starter during the Dubai World Cup Carnival. While Jay Eff Express has since been deleted, Hermano Menor was able to recover from his suspensory issues.
To cop such setbacks on a foreign shore can be disheartening to any connections, but Burridge and owner Masa Otani took it all in their stride, brought back the five-time winner back home – and pressed the reset button.
Fortunately for all concerned, Hermano Menor seems to have not lost an iota of his qualities, running on late in a Benchmark 83 race over 1200m for fourth to Viviano on June 9.
The step-up to the seven furlongs of Sunday’s $100,000 Open Benchmark 83 race will suit him down to a tee, even if Burridge actually wished he had another go at 1200m.
“He sprained his suspensory in a gallop two to three days before he was meant to run his first race in Dubai,” said the Australian handler.
“We had to pull the pin on Dubai and bring him back. There was nothing we can do, basically just box rest, before I gradually brought him back into work and he ran very good race first-up.
“I wanted to give him another 1200m race but he was not in the ratings to do that, and we went for this 1400m race instead.
“Touch wood, his suspensory problems are behind him now and he goes well this Sunday and we can take home some prizemoney.”
Hermano Menor, which means younger brother in Spanish, will be ridden by his winningest partner (rode him to four of his five wins), A’Isisuhairi Kasim.
The field is made up of a handy bunch of Class 2 gallopers such as Hip Hip Hooray, Robin Hood and Solaris Spectrum, but the horse who will take a power of beating is undoubtedly the baby of the field, US-bred three-year-old and Group 1 Singapore Guineas winner Forever Young.
