The Villiers Stakes is a summer target for comeback gelding Al Dhafra if he improves as trainer Guy Walter expects, starting with his assignment at Rosehill on Saturday.
The five-year-old finished last of nine, beaten 6-1/2 lengths, when he had his first start for a year over 1100 metres at Rosehill last Saturday week.
Walter said Al Dhafra was still carrying a lot of extra condition after his time off caused by illness and injury.
“His first run was pretty average but he is still very big yet,” Walter said.
“I think he’ll improve and we’ll get a better idea on Saturday of how he’s going.”
Al Dhafra was one of 14 nominations for the Benchmark 90 over 1200 metres headed by triple Group One winner Mentality.
After beginning his career in Queensland with Len Wheeler, Al Dhafra was transferred unraced to Walter and won his first four starts including the Canberra Guineas.
Two starts later in April 2010, he won the Listed Carbine Club Stakes during the Randwick autumn carnival but has not won in four starts since.
His problems began after he was unplaced in the Group Three Betfair Stakes at Caulfield in October last year.
“He had a lung infection and soreness to a bone in a hind leg,” Walter said.
“He’s been a long time getting back but hopefully he can get to the Villiers.”
The Group Two Villiers (1600m) is the biggest race of the Sydney summer and will be run this year on Al Dhafra’s home track, Warwick Farm, while Randwick undergoes a major renovation.
It has been a good spring for Walter who claimed a Group One double at Sydney’s premier meeting on October 1 with Doctor Doom and Streama winning the Spring Champion Stakes and Flight Stakes respectively.
Foxstar and Skyerush continued the trend by winning races over last week’s Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.
All four are now in the spelling paddock along with Epsom Handicap fourth placegetter Willy Jimmy with Walter confirming the gelding will not travel to Perth for the Group One Railway (1600m).
Willy Jimmy was second emergency for Saturday’s Group One Emirates Stakes so Walter opted to run him in Thursday’s Hawkesbury Gold Cup where he finished second to Somepin Anypin.
“He’s been up for a while and done a good job so we decided to give him a break,” Walter said.
AAP TURF
