Wet tracks and wide gates have made for a frustrating campaign for connections of talented colt Rekindled Alliance.
Trainer Paul Messara has again been left to rue the three-year-old’s bad luck after he came up with gate nine of 10 for Saturday’s Group Three Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick.
“Back to 2000 metres but we’re drawn poorly again. That’s been the story of this horse,” Messara said.
“Dry ground and a good barrier and we’d be fighting out the finish but it’s going to be hard from that gate. I just hope things can unfold for us.”
The Frank Packer Plate wasn’t the A-plan for Rekindled Alliance this autumn.
The Randwick and Rosehill Guineas were the major targets but the colt didn’t get to either race.
Connections decided not to go around on a slow track in the Randwick Guineas because of his dislike for wet tracks, putting his campaign on a different path.
Rekindled Alliance instead headed to the Phar Lap Stakes a week later and finished runner-up to Colorado Claire.
He drew wide at his next start in the Tulloch Stakes when he beat all but Polish Knight, who went on to frank that form with his second to Ethiopia in the Australian Derby.
Rekindled Alliance also contested the Derby and ran a game fifth but Messara felt the 2400m found him out.
“Good run in the Derby. He ran as well as I thought he could,” Messara said.
“He found a few better on the day but 2400 is probably just a touch too far for him.”
Rekindled Alliance is superbly bred being by Redoute’s Choice out of Rekindled Affair, making him a full-brother to Rekindled Interest.
In what could be a big afternoon for the family, the Jim Conlan-trained Rekindled Interest will line up in a star-studded Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) later on the program.
