For Canberra-based trainer Gratz Vella, the three-year-old gelding Music Time has already provided the most significant thrill of his extensive training career.
In his debut preparation, the son of All Too Hard secured the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m), Canberra’s premier juvenile event, and followed that success with a strong third in the nation’s top two-year-old contest, the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m).
Vella now has his aspirations focused on Sydney’s premier three-year-old races, with Music Time poised to resume his campaign in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Music Time received a thorough workout when finishing second in his sole trial over 1040m on August 14th, and Vella is confident this hit-out has him forward enough to perform well on Saturday.
“I said to Tommy Berry before his trial ‘he hasn’t had too much, a couple of nice gallops and one jump out, just go easy with him today and it’s only going to benefit him,” Vella commented.
“And he come back in and said ‘Gratz, this horse is a lot more forward that what you think he is.'”
“He’s come on very well from his two-year-old season, especially since that barrier trial. He had a good gallop Tuesday morning with one of my senior horses and matched strides with him, the jockey came in and said how good he was.”
Having initially considered targeting The Kosciuszko (1200m), a race specifically for country-trained horses, a call to the Racing New South Wales Handicapper has prompted Vella to aim even higher, setting Music Time on a path towards the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).
“I rang up the handicapper and I asked him about the Kosciuszko and for a three-year-old, he’d be carrying 60 kilos,” Vella explained.
“So I think that’s out of our picture. But I think if he goes well this weekend, by all means, we’ll just keep heading for the three-year-old races.”
“Who’s to say he can’t make it in a Golden Rose, because the horse’s he’s racing this weekend were mainly in the Golden Slipper and he didn’t finish too far away from the winner.”
Music Time, who will be reunited with jockey Kerrin Mcevoy, is a $15 outsider for Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes, with Golden Slipper winner Guest House being the $2.80 favourite.
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