Queensland stayer Spechenka has gone for a break and will be set for next year’s Brisbane Cup with his spring campaign taking its toll.
Trainer Ben Ahrens sent the six-year-old for a spell after he failed to make the Melbourne Cup field at Flemington earlier this month.
Spechenka gave Ahrens the biggest win of his short training career with an upset win in the Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) at Randwick last year.
Ahrens toyed with the idea of defending that race but decided on a long break for Spechenka whose next mission will be the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June.
“He felt the hard tracks a bit in Melbourne and jarred up,” Ahrens said.
“For some reasons he just didn’t cope with the hard surface and we only just missed by about three places of getting a Melbourne Cup start.”
“I gave a bit of thought to taking him to Sydney again for the Christmas Cup and Summer Cup but I’ve decided to give him a long spell.
“I’ll see how he spells first but the plan at this stage is to bring him back in work in time for the Brisbane Cup.
“He hasn’t had a decent break for a long time and he felt the effects of the spring in Melbourne.”
Ahrens, a former physiotherapist, dreamed of having his first Melbourne Cup runner with Spechenka and persevered the horse failing in the Group Three Newcastle Cup (2300m) in September and Group One The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick in October.
Spechenka had his first Victorian start when seventh to subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden in the Group Three Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 19 before a disappointing 10th to Niwot in the Group Three The Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington 10 days later.
In his latest appearance, Spechenka tailed the field behind Ironstein in the Group Three Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 5.
Ahrens feels Spechenka’s form in Melbourne was deceiving as he also had a few leg issues.
“There was no major concern but he missed a bit of work before the Geelong Cup when he needed a few stitches after cutting his leg in the swimming pool,” he said.
“He also had a stone bruise while he was away.”
AAP TURF
