Signify comes back from spell in fine fettle
Group One-winning sprinter Signify has moved up a weight division.
The gifted short course performer has been back in Alex Cowan’s Ashburton stable for a couple of weeks after returning from a good break in grand order.
“He went out a fit and happy horse after he won the Lightning at Wellington,” said Cowan, who trains the Telegraph winner for his wife Tracey.
“He looks terrific and he’s weighed in at 568kg and last time around he was 554 when he first came in. He’s a much better version now.”
Signify’s first major target will come during the New Zealand Cup carnival at Riccarton.
“That will be the Stewards and we’ll work backwards from there,” said Cowan, whose daughter Kate has made an encouraging start to her apprenticeship with Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers.
“There’s a race here at Ashburton in September that he might kick off in.”
Signify will subsequently hit the road for the major North Island sprints.
“I’d really like to go to Auckland for the Railway and then the Telegraph again,” Cowan said.
“At the moment he’s telling us he’s a sprinter, but if he settles better then he might get up to a mile. We always see the best of him when the races are run hard and he can get some cover to have the last shot at them.”
Signify has only been tried beyond 1200m a handful of times with his best effort a winning run over 1400m in an open handicap at Ashburton last year.