Darren Weir believes Via Savoia and Gotta Take Care both need to pull out something extra if they are to win Saturday’s feature jumps events – The Australian Steeplechase and The Australian Hurdle respectively – at Sandown.
Via Savoia has run third to Fareer in the Brierly Steeple (3450m) and third to Al Karam in the Great Southern Steeple (3320m) at Mornington at his past two starts, running on from back in the field on each occasion.
Gotta Take Care has also been a late closer, finishing runner-up to Black And Bent in the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) at Warrnambool and second to Palmero in the Jack Dow Memorial Hurdle (3320m) at Mornington.
Irish jumps jockey John Allen, who has linked up with the Weir stable, will again ride both horses.
“Via Savoia is in good order but he just needs to do things a bit better early,” Weir said.
“You can’t win giving them a start and jumping the first few a bit messy. He needs to begin better and jump better early and then he’s in the mix.
“But if he does what he’s done the last couple then he’s going to run his usual sort of race.
“I’ll just leave that up to Johnny (Allen). He’ll hopefully make him jump better.
Weir’s best effort in the race to date was runner-up with the ill-fated Virvacity behind Tarawera in 2010.
Via Savoia has drifted from $7.50 to $10 with TAB Sportsbet which has the Robert Smerdon-trained Fareer $3.70 Australian Steeple (3900m) equal favourite with Roodyvoo, prepared by Kiwi trainer Kevin Myers, ahead of Al Karam at $4.
Roodyvoo, unbeaten in three jumps starts including two over the bigger fences in New Zealand, has firmed from $5.
Gotta Take Care has firmed slightly to $4.60 in The Australian Hurdle (3400m) in which the Ciaron Maher-trained Palmero is $2.80 favourite ahead of Tuscan Fire at $3.30 with Kirribilli Gold at $5.
“He (Gotta Take Care) is going well but he is a horse who has got to get back, that’s just his racing style,” Weir said.
“When you are giving good horses a head start you have got the job ahead of you.
“Palmero beat him fair and square the other day I reckon but hopefully the bigger track might help him.
“He’s going really well and he deserves to win a good race.
“He’s in great order so there is no problem there.”
Via Savoia has been placed in six of seven `chase starts for two wins at Warrnambool and Pakenham, while Gotta Take Care hasn’t finished further back than second in five hurdle starts for two wins at Warrnambool and Ballarat.
