John McArdle, a trainer based in Mornington, is already formulating plans for a Group 1 campaign at the beginning of the season, with Queensland featuring prominently in his strategy.
The gelding Regal Zeus is scheduled to compete in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich this Saturday, marking the initial of two potential appearances in Queensland.
McArdle’s intention is to return to Melbourne early in the new season to mount a challenge for the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in late August.
“I’m 99 per cent sure we’ll run in the Eye Liner and then the Glasshouse and if everything went according to plan then we would be the fit horse leading into the Memsie,” McArdle remarked. “That was the plan and the reason for heading up there was because it is a 61-kilo maximum topweight off a 54-kilo minimum, so he wouldn’t be getting as badly weighted up there as he would be in Victoria.”
The Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) is slated for the Sunshine Coast on July 4, with Regal Zeus carrying 60.5kg for his outing in the Eye Liner Stakes.
Regal Zeus enters Saturday’s race having completed only one trial, where he finished second over 1200m at Sandown on May 23.
This trial was conducted over the new 1200m distance on the Hillside course at Sandown, and McArdle sought to give the gelding a robust workout on a suitable grass track.
“He was probably ready for a half-mile trial, but he had the1200-metre trial, and him being him, he doesn’t do anything softly,” McArdle explained. “It was a stronger trial than what we expected, but what it meant was that we didn’t have to trial him again.”
Following a gallop on the course proper before the Mornington meeting last week, the horse made the journey north the following day.
“The travel has tightened him up again and he hasn’t left an oat since he’s been up there. He’s his bright usual self.”
The Eye Liner Stakes is one of three Stakes races scheduled for Saturday’s program, which also includes the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) and the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1200m).
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