3 minute read
Trainer Edward O’Rourke has made sure every box is ticked to give Concoction his best chance to make a winning debut at Rosehill on Wednesday.
The three-year-old has won both barrier trials leading in to the Ranvet Handicap (1400m) and in the sort of style O'Rourke hopes has him ready for the race day experience.
In his latest hitout the gelding virtually simulated a race as jockey Tyler Schiller asked him to chase down a leader and he established a five length margin in the Kensington 1250m heat on November 1.
"He'd never been off the bridle and he got nudged along at Hawkesbury and I said to Tyler (before Randwick) in case we're going to town first-up to make sure he got a tap so it's not new to him,'' O'Rourke said.
"Just to make sure if we're going to town those things have been crossed.
"They might be an ordinary bunch he beat at Randwick but you can't do it easier than what he did.
"He's sat in behind horses and picked them up, came through gaps at Hawkesbury, and he's taken it all in his stride so far. He looks like a horse that might have a bit of ability."
Concoction, $4.60 with TAB on Tuesday, is three by birth date on Friday and given his pedigree O'Rourke has been happy to be patient.
He's by Rageese, who was runner-up to Pride Of Dubai in the Group 1 Sires' Produce Stakes back in 2015, and from a family that the trainer says suggests it's wise to be kicking off at 1400m.
"If you look at the family they all get out to a mile and 2000m, that's what we're thinking that he'll be a lovely horse over a bit of ground later,'' he said.
"He's a nice horse in the making, he's still got a fair way to go.
"Tyler seemed pleased when he galloped him the other morning, he came back with a smile on his face.
"You need everything to go right at your first start, there's a few with a bit of race experience but Tyler wanting to stick with him is a positive."'
Meanwhile, O'Rourke will reserve a decision until Wednesday morning as to whether the consistent Iron Man backs up for the third weekend in a row following successive seconds at Rosehill on November 2 and 9.
He's nominated the five-year-old for Friday's $100,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m) at Gundagai plus two races at Newcastle on Saturday including the feature $1 million Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m).
Last Saturday, he just failed to run down Fire Star after being forced to race three wide without cover despite the best efforts of Molly Bourke.
"We'll see how he is in the morning and make a decision,'' he said.
"He seems to have some through that last run pretty well, he was a bit unlucky to get into the position he was.
"Poor Molly was distraught when she came back, Jason (Collett on Midnight Opal) gave his horse a peach and just held her out there, but he will get his turn."
