After watching Top Reward win as expected on debut, trainer Clayton Douglas has opted to waste no time stepping the colt up in class. The Mornington-based horseman will send the Shamus Award three-year-old straight into the Group 2 Sandown Guineas at Caulfield this Saturday.
The $400,000 mile race arrives only 23 days after Top Reward cruised to victory in a 1500m maiden at Mornington, and Douglas said the investment made at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale was part of the reasoning behind the ambitious placement.
“I thought he’d win first up and he did,” Douglas said.
“We paid a bit of money for him and when you’ve got these colts you pay a bit of money for and there’s race like that there and it’s at the end of the carnival, it’s definitely worth having a crack at.
“He’s shown me nice ability at home, so he’ll definitely be running well.”
Bookmakers have assessed Top Reward a $15 outsider behind Group 3 The Vanity winner Sheza Alibi, who currently holds favouritism at $2.20.
Douglas took Top Reward to Caulfield for a look around on Tuesday, calling the outing an important learning experience given the big jump in grade he now faces.
“I just brought him out here today for a day out and he’s pulled up well, so I’m looking forward to Saturday,” he said.
“It is a big jump in grade, so hopefully he can take that step but I think he’ll run really well.
“He’s a really lovely laid-back colt and I think even with more time under his belt he’s going to be even better.”
Sheza Alibi is expected to face competition from Burma Star and Tagline, who fought out the Listed Springtime Stakes (1400m) on Melbourne Cup Day, along with solid contenders Call Da Vinci and the improving Centu Cavaddi.