The latest import for the OTI syndicate will make his Australian debut at Sandown on Wednesday.
Horses like Manighar and Ibicenco are just some of the success stories that OTI managers Terry Henderson and Simon O’Donnell have brought to Australia.
And Henderson and O’Donnell will be hoping their lightly raced four-year-old Tall Ship, which makes his Australian debut in the Mitavite Challenge Heat 5 (1400m) at Sandown, can follow in their hoofsteps.
The son of champion galloper Sea The Stars raced seven times in England before arriving at Darren Weir’s Ballarat stables late last year.
Sea The Stars was beaten just once in an eight-start career which included victories in the 2009 English Derby before being retired after capturing that year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France.
Tall Ship found his form in the UK when stepped up in distance, winning his last two starts at Goodwood, firstly over 2213m before a seven-length win over 2414m last August.
Weir isn’t expecting the import to be figuring prominently on Wednesday but believes he’s a nice stayer in the making.
He’s had three trials to prepare him for Australian conditions with Weir insisting he’s shown improvement at each outing.
“He’s a nice staying type,” Weir said.
“It will be too short for him on Wednesday but hopefully he’ll be finishing it off well.
“His last furlong in each of his trials has been quite good, except for his first one, and we don’t normally take much notice of those ones anyway.”
Weir said he has no ambitious plans for Tall Ship because he just wants the gelding to get through his first-up run unscathed.
“We’ve put him in here to kick him off and then we’ll just work our way through it from there,” Weir said.
Brad Rawiller has the mount on Wednesday.
