If Facile Tigre lives up to Jason McLachlan’s expectations, the Caloundra trainer believes he will be a force over the upcoming autumn carnival in Melbourne.
Facile Tigre and stablemate Phelan Ready will leave Queensland and head to Melbourne by float next Friday for the major sprint races.
“Facile Tigre is coming along really well since he’s come back into work and both he and Phelan Ready will go down by float on Friday,” McLachlan said.
Also on the float will be autumn rival Temple Of Boom who is set to clash with McLachlan’s pair in Melbourne.
Temple Of Boom will run first-up in the Group One Lightning Stakes (1000m) down the Flemington straight on February 18 before the Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on the same track on March 10.
McLachlan has yet to confirm plans for Facile Tigre and Phelan Ready but has nominated the pair for the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap along with the Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.
“I’ve nominated them for the three sprints but I’m not sure which races they will run in,” McLachlan said.
“I’m rapt in both horses the way they’re going, particularly Facile Tigre who has really come of age.”
McLachlan sent Facile Tigre and Phelan Ready to Melbourne during the spring but it was the latter who was the standout performer.
After going down narrowly in an 1100m race at Caulfield in September, the five-year-old won easily over 1200 metres on the same track in October before claiming the Listed MSS Security Sprint (1200m) at Flemington in November.
Phelan Ready started four times in Melbourne with his best effort a third in the Listed Tea Rose (1200m) at Flemington in September.
The five-year-old wasn’t disgraced when eighth to Love Conquers All in the Group Three Betfair Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield before going down less than two lengths when seventh to Sister Madly in the Group Two Salinger Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in October.
It was a glimpse of the old Phelan Ready who won the the 2009 Magic Millions Classic and Group One Golden Slipper Stakes.
Neither Facile Tigre nor Phelan Ready have trialled at home but McLachlan plans to trial them at Flemington on Friday week.
Trainer Tony Gollan decided on an early departure for Temple Of Boom after last week’s Doomben barrier trials were washed out.
Temple Of Boom has a first class straight course record with three wins, a third in the Group Two Salinger and sixth in the Group Three Bobby Lewis.
Gollan has pencilled in a trip to Sydney for Temple Of Boom for the Group One Galaxy at Randwick if his form measures up again before preparing him and stablemate Spirit Of Boom for the Group One Stradbroke Handicap in June.
AAP TURF
