Lifeline Express will make his Australian debut this weekend to open a Brisbane campaign designed to further his transition from a talented amateur into a top professional.
The lightly-raced colt showed his raw ability in the summer with an impressive debut victory on his home track at Matamata. He was then put aside following a sixth placing at Awapuni, where he raced greenly, in January.
“He was balloted out of the (Cambridge Jockey Club) Breeders’ Stakes so he’s over in Doomben and he’ll have a jump-out on Tuesday morning,” co-trainer Paul Shailer said.
“There’s a race at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday over 1200 metres worth $A10,000 and then he’ll head to a stakes race. Nash Rawiller will ride him.
“He’s over there to help him mature from a boy to a man and hopefully pick up a couple of Group Two or Three races along the way and then we’ll bring him home for a spell and set him for something like the Telegraph Handicap.”
Shailer and his brother and training partner Kris will focus on sprinting assignments for Lifeline Express, a son of Zabeel and one-time favourite for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby on the strength of his debut win.
“There are three or four races over there for him and none of them further than 1200 metres – he’s got a great turn of foot and we’ll bring him home for a break and set him for the Telegraph,” he said.
The stable could also be sending a second runner to the Queensland winter carnival if the highly-regarded Elroi races up to expectations at Rotorua on Saturday.
“He’s going very, very well and if he wins he could be on the first plane to Sydney and then float him to Brisbane for the Derby,” Shailer said. “He loves a wet track as well.”
Elroi has a win and two placings from his four starts and carried 58kg last time out when he ran second against the older horses over 2200 metres at Hastings.
– NZ Racing Desk.
