State Of Wealth, a horse who lost form during a winter carnival campaign, will be out to confirm his career is heading the right way again at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
The four-year-old will be chasing back-to-back wins for new trainer Graham Pollock when he lines up as one of the favourites in the Cardno-Shaping The Future Handicap (1000m).
Pollock, who operates Sunshine Coast horse complex Yandina Lodge with his son Darryl, took over the sprinter’s training following an unsuccessful winter campaign.
State Of Wealth won twice for Eagle Farm trainer Brian Smith and was going well enough as a spring three-year-old to earn a Sydney trip to take on Manawanui in the Stan Fox Stakes, a winner of the Group One Golden Rose at his previous start.
“Last preparation he started in mostly stakes races,” Darryl, a part-owner and State Of Wealth’s trackwork rider, said.
“He was still a colt then so we decided to geld him and then give him a spell.”
It took only two starts for State Of Wealth to regain winning form with a Doomben victory on November 6 but it hasn’t been all smooth-sailing for the four-year-old since.
“He pulled up a bit sore so we had to give him a little bit of time off to get over that but he’s back to being one hundred per cent,” his work rider said.
In-form apprentice Geoff Goold will claim 3kg, bringing State Of Wealth in with 55kg – 2kg less than he carried to win in the same grade at Doomben.
State Of Wealth has drawn gate six and after Goold’s claim will receive 5kg from comeback galloper Sarge In Charge.
Sarge In Charge, a winner of almost $300,000 in stakes, will resume after a 13-month absence.
A three-time winner at 1000m, Sarge In Charge banked a bulk of his earnings from his second placing in the 2009 Karaka Million.
He returns for original trainer Liam Birchley after a Melbourne stint with John Sadler.
