Tim Martin is seriously considering backing Pampelonne up in next weekend’s Group One Doomben 10,000 after the gelding turned Saturday’s $500,000 Scone Guineas into a one-act affair.
The talented three-year-old controlled the race from the front and exploded away to win the 1400m feature by 3-1/2-lengths from local filly Flying Fuji.
Colorado Claire ($2.60), who was considered the biggest danger to Pampelonne ($2.30), worked up to sit outside the favourite but couldn’t go with him in the straight and came in third 1-3/4-lengths behind Flying Fuji ($61).
The race was restricted to graduates of Inglis sales.
Martin, who prepared star sprinter Exceed And Excel, had no hesitation in declaring Pampelonne a Group One horse and said he would love to go straight into the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in three weeks.
Pampelonne moved to third favourite with TAB Sportsbet for the Stradbroke at $11 behind Mental at $7 and Sea Siren at $8.
However, Pampelonne is down the order of entry so Martin is seriously looking at the weight-for-age Doomben 10,000 (1350m) next Saturday where he is now third favourite.
“I just want to get him in there (the Stradbroke),” Martin said.
“I don’t know how I’m going to do it but I’ll just get him up there and work out a way.
“I’d love to go straight into it in a perfect world but we’ll just wait and see.
“If he travels to Brisbane well I’m actually looking at the 10,000 and then two weeks into the Stradbroke.”
The Sydney trainer, who was based at Scone in 1991 and again in 2000, went into the race extremely confident but was still relieved to see Pampelonne produce the goods.
“That’s just what you wanted to see wasn’t it,” Martin said.
The Guineas was reduced to 1400m this year after being staged over 1600m in its first two runnings.
Sincero went on to win the Stradbroke after winning the race last year.
“I was leading trainer here and it’s a big thrill to come back and win any race, let alone this,” Martin said.
“I must say when I saw three or four months ago that this was back to seven furlongs I started giggling then.”
Connections of Flying Fuji were thrilled to beat the rest of the field as the filly ran home along the inside from back in the field.
“I’m not surprised she has run so well because I’ve always had a big opinion of her,” trainer Greg Bennett said.
