Trainer Steven Burridge will wait and see how Lim’s Lightning pulls up after Thursday’s barrier trial before confirming his run in next Friday week’s Class 3 race over 1200m on turf.
The brilliant winner of the two-year-old feature, the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) on July 13 has been rested since, but has been busy gearing up for his racing comeback in the last month or so.
From the way Lim's Lightning trialled on Thursday, Burridge had every reason to be smiling, but would still prefer to err on the side of caution.
Jumping on terms from his inside alley, the son of Lope De Vega was bustled up a little to kick up on the rails and lead out from Trapio (Vlad Duric) for most of the way. Michael Clements’ last-start beaten favourite on debut challenged and headed Lim’s Lightning (Ryan Curatolo) in the straight, but the latter fought back on the rails, looking like he could grind his way back, but in the end settled for a head second to Trapio.
“He’s done well during his short let-up. He’s quite an athletic horse you don’t need to put a lot of work in to get him back,” said Burridge.
“He’s got to improve a length or two, though, if he runs in the Class 3 race over 1200m I have found for him next week. It all depends how he pulls up first and how he trains on.
“But overall, I’m very happy with the way he’s progressed.”
Curatolo, who was the pilot at his two wins – Daniel Moor rode him at his debut third – from three starts, concurred with the Australian trainer that Lim’s Lightning is in good order, though he doesn’t feel any substantial improvement in relation to his last campaign.
“I didn’t force him this morning. He had a good blow,” said the French jockey, who is returning from a three-day suspension (for careless riding) served concurrently with a Macau suspension (for failing to ride to the Stewards’ satisfaction) incurred earlier this weekend.
“He is coming back from a break. He’s very talented and did everything naturally.
“Again, he doesn’t like to be on the inside, which he was this morning. But he still came back when Vlad’s horse went past him.
“To me, he feels the same as at his last prep at this stage. I’m just waiting to see if he will race next week, and wait for instructions from Steve and Mick Dittman (Lim’s Stable racing manager).”
