Toorak Handicap the target for Sovereign Nation

Sovereign Nation wins impressively at Flemington. PIC Racing.com.

NEW connections of star gelding Sovereign Nation may target a group 1 race in the spring after the five-year-old blitzed its rivals in the Graeme McMenamin Hanidcap at Flemington on Saturday.

Sovereign Nation got a dream run on the back of the second placed Tally, (which returned +180 to place Crownbet.com.au) and was let down the middle of the track at the right time to record a commanding win and deliver +180 to Sportsbet.com.au clients.

Tried And Tired finished off the race well but did not return a dividend in a smaller field.

Winning jockey Regan Bayliss said Sovereign Nation was the clear standout.

“Most definitely,” Bayliss said when asked if he thought Sovereign Nation was the classiest horse in the field.

“He’s been trained to the absolute minute, his form has been faultless this preparation and we got a lovely run, and even though Tally had the big weight I thought he was the one to beat.

“He just gave us a lovely cart up until the turn and I held onto him for as long as I could and he really let down nicely.”

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The horse’s co-trainer Tom Daberning agreed with Bayliss’ statement, saying Sovereign Nation put the race beyond doubt early in the straight.

“He really loves being fresh,” Daberning explained.

“Today was perfect in a small field, he got to probably what looks to be the right part of the track and he let down and never really looked like he was going to be beat.”

The stellar performance today showed that group level racing may not be beyond Sovereign Nation and Daberning said the Sir Rupert Clarke or the Toorak Handicap “are in the back of (their) minds” heading into the spring.

“There’s an open 1400m on Memsie day and we were sort of thinking that he might [go well in] group one handicap style conditions like the Toorak or something.”

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Sovereign Nation raced prior to the gelding operation and was somewhat wayward in its style, but Daberning said he has seen a different horse since undergoing the procedure.

“He was a colt before this prep so I think the gelding has helped,” he said.

“He’s pretty straight forward now. A sound horse.

“I think if we space his races now you’ll see that pretty good turn of foot.”

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