Two horses who made significant progress in the spring will look to strike early carnival blows for Tulloch Lodge when they resume at the Apollo Stakes meeting at Randwick.
Riodini steps out in the Group 2, 1400 metre feature against a high-class field that includes Verry Elleegant, Think It Over and Colette and significantly, he will be sporting blinkers.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott told Sky Sports Radio that Riodini was coming off a longer break last preparation and they gave him a run or two without the shades on, but this time around they have him fresh and forward.
“It took him a couple of runs to get going last time in,” Bott said.
“He had a few runs without the blinkers before we reapplied those and he was coming off a long break, so he probably wasn’t as forward as he is this time around, and he gets the blinkers first time up.
“If he is forward enough and able to get the right conditions to suit on Saturday, it’s a set-up where it’s a more suitable race for him than some of his opponents.
“It’s a nice opportunity for him to try to pick one up early.”
Riodini pushed both Verry Elleegant and Think It Over in the spring, the former only gunning him down over the final stages in the Group 1 George Main Stakes while Think It Over also took until the shadows of the post to nab him in the Chelmsford Stakes.
Embracer likewise made giant strides, maturing into a consistent performer at black-type level with a trifecta of placings in Group company.
A belated Everest call-up proved a bridge too far but the gelding is yet to miss a top-three placing in five first-up runs and Bott is expecting a bold showing from Embracer in Saturday’s Southern Cross Stakes (1200m).
“He made great progression last time in,” Bott said.
“That was the first real preparation we had with him as a gelding.
“He had come to the end of it by the time he got to The Everest but if he can continue that improvement he showed last preparation, I think he might be in for a nice campaign again.”
Regan Bayliss will partner Embracer with Rachel King booked for Riodini.