He produced arguably the most eye-catching lead-up trial to the spring, but what’s happened to El Divino since has been somewhat of a mystery.
Pushing Capitalist to a head at Randwick on that cold July morning, the half-brother to Winx has gone onto disappoint in the Run To The Rose and his “main target” in the Golden Rose.
“After assessing his preparation, we’re of the view he’s best kept to the sprinting distances,” co-trainer Adrian Bott told G1X.com.au.
That’s meant aborting a Caulfield Guineas mission, and taking on perhaps a tougher task in Astern in the G2 Roman Consul over 1200m.
Reinvigorating a horse that dead-heated with Astern in the Kindergarten in the autumn is the challenge for Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse.
The pair are confident a freshen-up, a shorter trip and a key gear change will turn the three-year-old around.
“We’ve put the blinkers on him. We worked him in blinkers and it really seemed to switch him on,” Bott said.
“A three-week gap has allowed us to freshen him up as well.
“I certainly think you can make a case for him, we’ve always had a high opinion of him and that hasn’t changed, that’s why we’ve got the confidence to line him up on Saturday.”
Sprint queen English can’t draw a gate to save herself – 11 of 14 it’ll be in the Premiere, after she drew 9 of 10 in The Shorts. That, a barrier that saw her three-deep and luckless in a fifth-placed finish.
“That’s a good way of putting it. We were happy with the run otherwise, she showed she’s returned in good order and she’s probably better suited second-up now under weight-for-age conditions,” Bott said.
While Global Glamour becomes an even bigger player in the Flight with the scratching of Omei Sword.
She got squeezed up along the rail in the Tea Rose and risks doing the same from gate 1 this time in. But in just three starts for the Star Witness filly, Bott has liked what he’s seen.
“Yes, hugely, she’s one that’s had definite excuses her last two starts. She’s been unlucky, but probably from her own wrongdoing,” he said.
“Hopefully she can put it all together for the big one. We always thought she’d be suitable over the mile. If she does everything right she’s right in it.”
