The most watched piece of Randwick trackwork on Tuesday went according to plan as promising stayer Drago passed a blinkers test ahead of the Group One Spring Champion Stakes.
With the binoculars of rival trainers focused on the Anthony Cummings colt, Drago galloped with stablemate and fellow Spring Champion contender Thunder Fantasy over 1600m on the Kensington track.
Raceday jockey Peter Robl settled Drago four lengths behind Thunder Fantasy until he asked the three-year-old to improve at the 600m when the tempo increased.
It didn’t take long for Drago to make up his ground and he moved to the outside of his workmate on the turn.
They matched strides for the last 400m, hitting the line together, clocking 1min51.1secs for the mile with the last 200m in 12.06secs.
A telephone hook-up between Robl and Cummings, who was in Melbourne for Caulfield trackwork, soon confirmed the gear change for Saturday’s race at Randwick.
“The main thing I wanted to know was whether he was going to stay relaxed with the blinkers on,” Robl said.
“He did and importantly he picked up nicely even though we weren’t out there to break any records.”
Robl is hoping the blinkers – and a softer barrier – will allow him to ride Drago more forward than he was able to in the Gloaming Stakes.
“If he can draw a gate and settle a couple of pairs closer it will be nice,” he said.
Most neutral observers thought Thunder Fantasy worked as well as his better-performed stablemate.
It was an assessment matched by his work jockey Blake Spriggs.
“He went to the line as good as Drago and certainly gave me a good feel,” Spriggs said.
Thunder Fantasy was trapped off the course before his close fifth in the Dulcify Quality at Randwick on Saturday but the merit of his gallop has convinced Cummings to pay up for the Spring Champion.
Jason Collett, enjoying a profitable association with the stable since the start of the season, has the Thunder Fantasy ride.
