Having your horse beaten in a highly staked race always gives some sense of disappointment no matter how valiant the effort. But then sometimes those result clouds have very silver linings.
One example of that is Sinbad, warming up these days for a spring campaign with a slightly surprising early target.
That is the $100,000 Harness 7 at Addington on September 15 a race that at first glance you might not think he was even eligible.
It is a race designed to give second tier three year olds a better chance at winning a big stake by avoiding the stars. If they have won G1 races or won $100,000 in stakes they aren’t invited to nominate.
Sinbad has been placed in three G1 races, the most recent a second in the Sires Stakes Final to Don’t Stop Dreaming in May. He was also placed in the same series as a two year old and the Woodlands Northern Derby in March. And his earnings come in at $80,000 and change. Bart Cummings himself would have been proud of placing like that.
Mark and Nathan have naturally targeted the race with Sinbad and he is not far from the trials on the road to potential riches for Jean Feiss who bought Sinbad from the Woodlands weanling consignment for $26,000, that stud also being the sponsor of the Harness 7.
“He has come out of a break very well and he’s matured. That would be a nice race for him to take on before moving on to the tougher age group races” Nathan said
Sinbad didn’t help his hopes of a bigger win earlier because of his racing manner which could be a “better with more work” summary. But experience is the best teacher and he should be a different horse this time in.
The Harness 7 has a preferential draw which will be some handicap to Sinbad but not one he can’t overcome,especially as only 8 horses lined up last year when the new calendar came into force.
Meanwhile Don’t Stop Dreaming is coming up a treat his main initial aim the Vero Flying Stakes on October 13 running into the New Zealand Derby on December 10.Last year’s Derby winner Akuta ran first in the NZ Cup but that is not on Don’t Stop Dreaming’s agenda at this stage.
“He looks terrific with his break and he’s sound as he has ever been. Everything is going well so far” Nathan said
PIC: Sinbad, gearing up for a new campaign