A quinella at Sandown on Tuesday made owner Terry Henderson’s day.
But for the man who is among Australia’s most prolific thoroughbred importers, it set the scene for what is shaping as a stunning autumn and winter.
Dany The Fox winning the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap at Sandown - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
Henderson’s OTI syndicates have half a dozen top class horses, headed by the triple Group One winner Manighar, set to pick off a selection of the best races in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
As well as Manighar, the OTI team has My Quest For Peace, Ibicenco, Gatewood and Prairie Star who all arrived from England last spring, and Queensland Derby and Grand Prix winner Brambles.
“It’s by far the best line-up we’ve ever assembled,” Henderson said.
Manighar, whose spring campaign was cut short by a bone chip, will be back at trainer Peter Moody’s stable before the end off the month and is likely to have one preparatory run in Melbourne before embarking on the serious part of his campaign in Sydney where he will be out to win a second successive BMW.
Manighar will continue his campaign in Brisbane where his target is likely to be the Doomben Cup, a race in which he finished third last year.
My Quest For Peace, also trained by Moody, is one of three OTI runners heading for the Australian Cup. Also on the same campaign are Brambles, yet another Moody-trained runner, and Prairie Star.
“The Australian Cup is there for Brambles but he could be switched to the Doncaster,” Henderson said.
Gatewood, formerly trained by John Gosden and now by Chris Waller, is heading toward the BMW or the Doncaster and last year’s Sandown Cup winner Ibicenco will campaign in Queensland where the Brisbane Cup is a likely target.
