Maher juvenile out to impress on debut
Trainer Ciaron Maher will sent out two-year-old Anders at Randwick after the colt’s brilliant trial.
Randwick debutant Anders has turned in two very different barrier trial performances but assistant trainer Annabel Neasham insists he should be assessed on his most recent, dominant display.
Neasham runs the Sydney stable of training partners Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and has been heavily involved in the colt’s preparation for Saturday’s Kirkham Plate (1000m) at Randwick.
She says Anders had excuses when he ran fifth at the first official two-year-old trials in September.
She has warned punters that based on his work at home, his recent eight-length demolition of a trial field at Rosehill is more reflective of his talent.
“He was disappointing in his first trial. We expected him to trial much better,” Neasham said.
“But he actually pulled up with a couple of excuses so we drew a line through that and gave him an easy week.
“He trialled on Friday and trialled very impressively which was no surprise to us.
“The horse was earmarked as a potential early two-year-old type from the start and he came through that trial extremely well.”
A $670,000 Magic Millions yearling, Anders is by Not A Single Doubt, the same sire as stablemate Dubious who won last year’s Breeders’ Plate and was runner-up in the Magic Millions Classic.
Anders took up the running in his latest trial and dashed further ahead in the straight, a performance Neasham hopes he can replicate from an inside draw at Randwick.
If he races to expectations, the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on November 9 is the logical next step.
“We will see what happens tomorrow. Two-year-olds can make fools of you,” Neasham said.
“But if he delivers what we think he will on the track tomorrow and pulls through it well, with a $1 million race around the corner you’d be crazy not to look at it.”
Maher and Eustace will also start filly Kooweerup in the $1 million Bondi Stakes (1600m) on Saturday’s Randwick program.
Neasham admits she needs to lift on her last-start fifth to Colada in the Stan Fox Stakes but says she is “flying” at home.
“We’re drawn a little bit awkwardly but I think we will ride her quietly from that gate and hope she shows a good turn of foot over the concluding stages,” Neasham said.
“She will have to improve off her last run to be in with a chance of winning this but she is a filly we have always liked.”