Trainer Danielle Seib concedes the 13 length barrier trial defeat Associate carries into the TAB Highway (1500m) at Rosehill was a little quieter than she planned but warns against emphasising it as a pointer to his chances on Saturday.
Trainer Danielle Seib (Pic: Bradley Photos)
The four-year-old went to sleep in the 800m gallop on his home track a week ago, his first public outing since a midfield finish in the Country Championships Final.
Seib explained she didn’t want Associate to charge around in the trial but also didn’t expect him to tail out in the heat won by Hell I Am.
“We put the ear muffs on and took the blinkers off, I wanted him to have a quiet trial,’’ Seib said.
“I didn’t quite think he’d fall into a coma like he did. In the past he’s trialled a little too brilliantly and doured off quicker than I’d like.
“We didn’t want him to overdo it, which he certainly didn’t. He has come through really well.
“About a week before that trial he galloped in company with Hell I Am, stride for stride, in brilliant work.
“You have to take him on trust of what the horse has proven he is in the past.”
Associate, $6.00 with TAB on Friday, won his way into the Country Championships Final with a brilliant win in the Southern Wild Card on his home track.
Seib has always held the horse in high regard and says under the set weights conditions of the Highway he’s thrown in with 56kg after the 3kg claim for Hannah Williams.
“Perhaps you’d like to see him at Randwick moreso than Rosehill but I think that’s offset with the claim by Hannah,’’ she said.
“If we need to we can ride him a little bit tough, if he’s got to make a sustained run from the 800m to put himself into it we can do that.
“We’re in very well at the weights and Hannah has done a lot of work with the horse since he was young and knows him very well.
“He should be able to make a run on the outside of horses and that’s going to benefit him.”
A first-up win would encourage Seib to seek out a Big Dance eligible race for Associate in the coming months and attempt to qualify him for the $3 million feature.
The Goulburn trainer is well represented in the Highway with Kenichi and Amarantz also set to make their presence felt after promising first-up performances.
Kenichi finished third behind Gentileschi in the Highway on Hawkesbury Cup Day after leading and Seib said Jett Stanley’s claim will come in handy.
“It was a really big effort behind what looks to be a very nice horse,’’ she said.
“He’s not a one trick pony, he does have a turn of foot, and I’d like to see him follow something into the race but he probably naturally lands first four or so.”
Amarantz chased home Ningaloo Star in a 1250m Benchmark 72 at Kensington when she returned from her break and that effort told Seib she’s on track to improve through the preparation and not regress as she did last time in.
“She’s had a lengthy spell and we’ve built her up a bit slower this time around,’’ she said.
“We gave her a few good pieces of work at home and went for a shorter trip first-up. Gate one, we’ll just have to get a bit of luck to get off the fence at the right stage.”
– Racing NSW
