General Salute will forgo the Epsom Handicap, despite earning a ballot exemption with his win at Randwick, as his trainers have their sights set on a comparable prize a week later.
The six-year-old, a $12 chance, recorded his third black-type win in Saturday’s Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m). He positioned himself behind the leader Matcha Latte ($13) and wore him down in the final stages to clinch the Group 3 by a half-length.
Having previously struggled with foot ailments, General Salute has been free from such issues this term, which has clearly translated into his current strong form.
“Tim (Clark) trialled him the other day. He’s got a great association with him, and he said it was the best he’d ever felt,” co-trainer Sterling Alexiou shared. “He landed in a nice spot in a sit-and-sprint race. He’s a lot better with a bit of cut out of the track, but he’s going great.”
Although the Bill Ritchie Handicap winner is exempt from the Epsom Handicap (1600m) ballot, Alexiou stated that the major mile race was not being considered.
The plan is now for General Salute to target the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on October 10, with both races offering a significant $1.5 million in prizemoney.
“He hasn’t had the preparation now (for an Epsom),” Alexiou commented. “We missed a run the other week in the Tramway. He spiked a bit of a temperature a month ago, so he’ll probably go to the Alan Brown now.”
General Salute was coming off a successful off-season campaign, having won the Winter Stakes (1400m) and placed in the Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) and Winter Challenge (1500m).
Clark mentioned that he hadn’t intended to race as close to the speed as he ended up, but was pleased with the tactical decision given the race’s flow, agreeing with Alexiou that the horse was in optimal condition.
“He landed a little bit closer to the speed than I thought,” Clark observed. “I was happy to be there the way the race was being run. He seems like he’s matured and he’s a very talented horse.”
Headley Grange, the $4 favourite, ran to expectations with an honest performance to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind the second-placegetter.
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