Lightly-raced Adelaide three-year-old Karacatis will be tested as a spring prospect when he makes his Flemington debut in Saturday’s City Jeep `Don’t Hold Back’ Handicap.
The son of Hussonet has won twice and finished second three times in his five starts and trainer Richard Jolly is keen to get a line on him against stronger Melbourne opposition over 1410 metres on Saturday.
“I really like the horse but we just want to find out where he is at,” Jolly said.
Last start Karacatis led all the way to win over 1300 metres at Morphettville while his other win was at Murray Bridge in January.
“It is a bit of a step up in grade this time but he is improving all the time and we certainly think he is that sort of standard,” Jolly said.
“If he came out and won we would probably stop him and give him a break and bring him back later in the spring.”
Karacatis was a $120,000 yearling buy at the Australian Premier Sale and is a half-brother to Shamillion who was a stakeswinning two-year-old.
His Redoute’s Choice dam One In A Million was a dual winner while his grand-dam, Happen, was Group Two-placed.
Steven Arnold will ride Karacatis who is $13 in TAB Sportsbet’s early market.
Peter Moody-trained stablemates Dayita ($4.40), a last-start Sale winner by five lengths, and Club Command ($5), who led all the way to win at Caulfield two weeks ago, head the betting.
Premier jockey Luke Nolen, who is tied on 59 city wins with Craig Newitt on this season’s table, will ride Dayita while apprentice Jake Duffy has retained the mount on Club Command.
Nolen has six other rides at Flemington and will be looking to make every one count as he will be away in England for a week to partner Black Caviar in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
His other fancied mounts are Aeronwy ($4.60), King Krovanh ($6), Legion’s Belle ($6.50) and Grecian Melody ($8.50).
Secret Flyer ($13) and My Bentley ($18) make up his book of rides.
