Stakes champion Royal Insignia launches into a renewed storyline resuming in the $200,000 Wagga Town Plate before eyeing a Queensland winter push.

The son of Written Tycoon took the Group 3 Manfred Stakes at three but then faltered, resulting in a tough decision to geld him by his connections.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but he just wasn’t putting it all together on race days, even though he has shown an enormous amount of ability,” trainer Grahame Begg said.

“So we bit the bullet and gelded him.”

He has been off since trailing in the Testa Rossa Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield November 29, building fitness through two jump outs and a trial leading to Thursday’s Wagga Town Plate (1200m).

In four previous first-up efforts, the four-year-old notched a triumph and a pair of placings, bar a solid fourth when unplaced at Group 2 in spring.

Performing as hoped could open doors to Queensland, perhaps the Group 2 Morton Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 6, and trainer Begg leaves room for the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) soon after if eligible.

“He needs to get his rating up. But there are other races outside that, plenty of lovely races up there. The Moreton Cup over 1200, and there are races on Tatt’s Day,” he said.

The opening leg of the two-day Wagga carnival, the Town Plate, has attracted 40 nominations.

Entries include the previous year’s leaders Compelling Truth and Gravina, and Friday’s Listed Wagga Cup (2000m) lists 29 hopefuls such as one-time top two Flying Bandit and Bianco Vilano.

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