Quality galloper Fawkner is ready for his delayed return to racing with Damien Oliver giving him a glowing report.
Oliver made the trip to Caulfield to ride Fawkner in a raceday work-out on Saturday although he could not take part in the Memsie Stakes meeting because of suspension.
The jockey is committed to riding the Lloyd Williams-owned Fawkner until the Cox Plate in which he finished second to Adelaide last year.
Fawkner won the 2013 Caulfield Cup but hasn’t raced since finishing 10th in the 2014 Melbourne Cup.
He was scheduled to resume in the Memsie but was withdrawn because of a wide barrier.
Oliver said the eight-year-old felt in fantastic order.
“He was a little bit above himself first time out at the races but he settled into his work nicely and his action was great,” Oliver said.
“It wasn’t a full stressful sort of work-out but nice and comfortable and his recovery was good.
“He’s in a good place and on target for another good preparation.”
Fawkner was joined in the gallop by stablemate Observational.
The import has only had one start in Australia, winning the Golden Mile at Bendigo in March.
Ridden by Damian Lane in the gallop, Observational may also start his spring campaign at Flemington on September 12.
Lane, who last month returned from a short stint in Hong Kong, said Observational was a nice type of horse.
“He was a little bit fresh and wanted to get on with the job early but then relaxed down the back and cruised to the line under his own steam,” Lane said.
“He’s a really nice style of horse and his win at Bendigo was really good and hopefully I can jump aboard.”
