Vow And Declare shines in Bendigo gallop
Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare has figured in an exhibition gallop at Bendigo.
Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare has led home VRC Oaks winning stablemate Miami Bound in a race day gallop at Bendigo.
Trainer Danny O’Brien took the pair to Bendigo on Saturday for a day out ahead of proposed Group One assignments in Sydney.
With Cup-winning jockey Craig Williams aboard, Vow And Declare beat Miami Bound, ridden by Fred Kersley, in a 1600m-gallop.
O’Brien is hoping to get both horses to Sydney for the autumn carnival.
“It was a good opportunity to give them a gallop together over a mile,” O’Brien told broadcaster racing.com.
“They’re going to race off decent enough breaks when they next go to the races so it was a good opportunity to give them a trip away and a good gallop on what is one of the better racing surfaces in Australia.”
Racing is continuing under strict biosecurity conditions during the coronavirus crisis and is a day-to-day proposition.
Vow And Declare resumed with a third placed finish behind Fifty Stars in the Australian Cup (2000m) on March 7 and O’Brien has pencilled in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 11.
O’Brien was happy with Vow And Declare’s work-out.
“He’s never really a good track worker,” he said.
“He was about to switch off but then Craig shook him up late and he found another gear and was good through the line.
“Miami Bound was OK today but she has probably raced below her best in her two starts this time in and we’re still wondering whether to go to Sydney or to the paddock,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said Miami Bound would be entered for the Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, a week before the Australian Oaks.