Air Assault looking to strike upon return in Behemoth Stakes

Air Assault
Behemoth Stakes contender Air Assault. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos)

Morphettville-based trainer Andrew Gluyas is set to kick off the campaign of his four-time stakes winner, Air Assault, in this Saturday’s Group 3 Behemoth Stakes (1200m).

The four-year-old gelding, sired by Justify, has shown his versatility by winning over distances from 1400 to 1800 metres.

His last outing was on May 4, where he secured a third-place finish in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m).

Despite his achievements, Gluyas admits that they are still unsure of Air Assault’s ideal racing distance.

“We probably still haven’t worked out what his best trip is,” the trainer told Racing.com.

“Going into the Derby, we thought he probably wasn’t going to be able to run that distance out strongly because that was the case during the spring last year when he ran in the VRC Derby.

“But his effort was very game, and he ran the 2500 metres out strongly, only going down by a small margin after leading the entire way. He looks like he’s returned quite well from our point of view.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s race, Gluyas is optimistic but cautious, noting that the Behemoth Stakes will lay the groundwork for Air Assault’s future targets.

“I’m looking forward to him resuming in the Behemoth Stakes on Saturday, which will hopefully set the foundations into the Leon Macdonald Stakes.

“I think he’ll need the run on Saturday, although his first-up efforts in the past have been pretty good.

“From there, we’ll make some more decisions going forward about where we take him.”

2024 Behemoth Stakes Final Field

No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 Silks
Chicago Storm
David Aldridge
Margaret Collett
7
58.5kg
2 Silks
Air Assault
Andrew Gluyas
Jason Holder
2
58.5kg
3 Silks
My Khalifa
Gordon Richards & Damien Moyle
Dom Tourneur
9
58.5kg
4 Silks
Struck By
Travis Doudle
Rochelle Milnes
12
58.5kg
5 Silks
Karacasu
Richard & Chantelle Jolly
Callan Murray
8
58.5kg
6 Silks
Dubai Poet
Michael Hickmott
Jessica Eaton
4
58.5kg
7 Silks
Brave Action
Grant Young
Samuel Payne
3
58.5kg
8 Silks
See You In Heaven
Richard & Chantelle Jolly
Jake Toeroek
10
56.5kg
9 Silks
Second To Nun
Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea
Kayla Crowther
5
56.5kg
10 Silks
Boognish
Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea
Jacob Opperman
1
56.5kg
11 Silks
Arugamama
Andrew Gluyas
Caitlin Jones
6
56.5kg
12 Silks
Episodic
Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea
Ben Price
11
56.5kg

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