Feroce holds a special place in the heart of emerging trainer Dominic Sutton.
The talented three-year-old not only gave Sutton his first career victory in a maiden at Pakenham last March, but he also delivered the young trainer’s maiden metropolitan win at Caulfield the following month.
Feroce nearly caused a major upset six months later in the Caulfield Guineas, narrowly going down to the Chris Waller-trained Private Life in a thrilling finish.
Sutton’s rapid rise in the training ranks has seen him transition from Pakenham to Ballarat, and now he has expanded further, securing 18 additional boxes at Flemington that were previously occupied by Mathew Ellerton.
Still in search of his first Stakes victory, Sutton has two strong contenders at Flemington this Saturday: Feroce in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) and Sword Of Legacy in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m).
Feroce makes his return to the track following a third-place finish in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last November, which came after his impressive Guineas performance.
The immediate goal for Feroce is the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1, but he is also nominated for several major Sydney three-year-old events, as well as the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) on March 8.
Sutton carefully weighed his options between running Feroce in last Saturday’s Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield or waiting for the CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington.
In the end, giving Feroce more exposure to the Flemington course was the deciding factor.
“We get to give him some more experience at Flemington before we go on to the big one after that,” Sutton said.
“He came out of the trial super. He’s ready to go.”
Feroce signaled his readiness with a strong second-place effort in a Geelong trial on January 28, showing he is primed for his return to competition.
Meanwhile, Sword Of Legacy heads into the Talindert Stakes after a heartbreaking loss to Inkaruna in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on February 1.
For Sutton, the narrow defeat still stings, and he is determined to see the filly secure a Stakes victory.
“It was a tough one to take, and I probably won’t get over it until she wins a Stakes race,” he admitted.
