There’s no sense of urgency to add Epic Proportions to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace spring team just yet but the colt has the chance to put his hand up at Randwick on Saturday.
A late starter in the two-year-old ranks, Epic Proportions made a big impression with an easy all the way debut win a month ago and co-trainer David Eustace said he’s taken that win in his stride.
That was on the back of just one public barrier trial so it’s no surprise that Eustace says there’s upside.
“We like him, he’s really trained on well since his first-up win,’’ he said.
“He’s only rising three, he just took a little bit longer than the others but he’s strengthened up nicely and I think he will run really well.”
Epic Proportions aims to keep his unbeaten record intact in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1100m) and was $1.95 with TAB on Thursday to do just that.
Dylan Gibbons takes 1.5kg off the colt’s back so he rises 2kg on his two length victory over subsequent winner Zouprince and he’ll meet another small field.
Eustace said he can only expect Epic Proportions to improve with racing and it’s up to the son of Better Than Ready to take the next step.
“We won’t get carried away, there’s still great prizemoney to challenge for through winter so we’ll campaign through that,’’ he said.
“If he’s good enough for spring he’s not going to run out of petrol.”
The re-application of blinkers, combined with a softer draw, gives Eustace some confidence that Bat Out Of Hell is a winning chance in the Furphy Handicap (1400m).
The three-year-old is on the back-up after a fast finishing fourth behind Resonator at Rosehill last week where he was forced to be ridden conservatively from the outside alley.
He clocked 34.21 for his last 600m (Punter’s Intelligence), including the race’s fastest last 200m of 11.41, when beaten two lengths.
“It was a good run, he probably just couldn’t win from where he was,’’ he said.
“He’s got blinkers back on so I think that will be effective.
“Hopefully he can possie up a little bit closer, he does seem to have a tendency to get back and run on but if we can be closer that’d be great.”
Meanwhile, Eustace said Blaze A Trail won’t take his place in the Listed Robrick Lodge Winter Stakes (1400m) and will instead run in Brisbane.
– Racing NSW
