There are few expectations for Digital Fortress when the talented gelding makes his race return on Saturday but trainer Guy Walter is hoping he can again be a carnival player.
Digital Fortress hasn’t raced since his fourth in the 2010 Victoria Derby won on a slow track by Lion Tamer.
Although he did not have a major injury, Walter took a conservative approach with Digital Fortress who runs in the January Handicap (1300m) at Warwick Farm.
“He had a sore fetlock after the Victoria Derby so we decided to give him a long spell,” Walter said.
“Then he got kicked in the paddock so that set him back again.
“He has strengthened up a lot and he will be running on Saturday but he’s a long way from being fully fit yet.
“He will need a bit of racing to bring him to his top. We will take it one race at a time and hopefully he can measure up to some of the staying races over the autumn.”
Walter said Monday’s Tattersall’s Club Cup winner Straight Albert had pulled up well and would tackle next week’s Gosford Cup (2100m) while Avarelli, who finished third at Warwick Farm, could back up in a benchmark 75 on Saturday.
“Straight Albert has surprised me a bit with how well he has done but he is a very nice horse and it was a tough win yesterday,” he said.
The trainer is enjoying a resurgence and says that is due in part to being able to pre-train horses out of his Goulburn stable before bringing them to Warwick Farm.
“I think we’ve got the best team we’ve had for a few years,” Walter said.
“Being able to educate young horses on the grass at Goulburn is a big help.”
Walter said Streama and Doctor Doom, who gave the trainer a winning Group One double in the Flight Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes in October, were back at Warwick Farm to prepare for their returns next month.
There were 10 entries for the January Handicap headed by emerging sprint star Tiger Tees from the Joe Pride stable.
The winner of six of his eight starts, Tiger Tees won at Canterbury on Christmas Eve.
One run earlier he was narrowly defeated by Atomic Force, winner of the Railway Stakes in New Zealand on Sunday.
Youthful Jack and O’Crikey, who fought out the finish of a 1350m race at Wyong last week, are also entered for the January Handicap along with former Walter charge Ollie Vollie, fourth in the Listed Razor Sharp won by News Alert on December 17.
AAP TURF
