Two imports poised to make their respective Australian debuts for Tulloch Lodge at Randwick add an element of intrigue to the Chelmsford Stakes meeting, as much for their trainers as for punters.
Former US galloper Royal Patronage lines up for the stable in the Tramway Stakes (1400m) while the Yulong Investments-owned Poptronic will be one of three Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained runners in the feature mile, along with Just Fine and Military Mission.
A winner up to 1700m in America, Royal Patronage hasn’t raced for more than a year, but Bott has been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm he has shown in two recent barrier trials.
“He has shown good speed in his trials, which is why we’re happy to kick him off over 1400 metres,” Bott said.
“He has shown more speed than the traditional staying type coming over.
“It will give us a good idea where he’s at and how to profile him off the back of Saturday’s race, whether he’s a miler, or 2000-metres is his trip, or if we need to be getting out over further.
“It will tell us a lot, but he is a very interesting horse. There is good improvement to come and I’m sure there is a nice race there somewhere.”
Poptronic was part of a European shipment that arrived in Australia earlier this year but unlike some of her travelling companions, such as Via Sistina, she didn’t make it to the races over the autumn carnival.
She has performed at the highest level at Ascot and holds entries for both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cups.
“She is obviously a quality mare. The mile under these conditions might be a bit sharp for her, she’s 2000-metres plus and could be on a Cups path,” Bott said.
“Once she gets out to that trip, that’s when we will start to get a gauge on her level of ability.”
Bott expects Just Fine to improve off his unplaced return in the Winx Stakes (1400m), feeling Saturday’s assignment is much more suitable in terms of race shape and class, while Military Mission kicks off a possible Caulfield Cup campaign.
The latter also holds a Melbourne Cup entry, but the jury is out on whether he runs a strong two-miles after failing to fire in the race last year, and again in this year’s Sydney Cup.
“We wanted to keep that door open. He will probably be more a Caulfield Cup style of horse, his record at Caulfield is very good and his record at 2400 metre is very good,” Bott said.
“Two miles found him out last year, but it was his first attempt and it was a strongly run Cup that year which might have just had him a bit stretched.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to him doing it again, but he’d have to be going in the right form and setup.”