Tom Dabernig will step up the work of exciting sprinter Oliveanotherday when the gelding has a jump-out at Casterton.
Monday’s appearance at Casterton will be Oliveanotherday’s first public appearance since winning the Listed Wangoom Handicap (1200m) during Warrnambool’s three-day carnival in May.
Oliveanotherday has raced seven times for five wins and Dabernig revealed there had been some interest from The Everest slot holders about the sprinter.
However, Dabernig said there was a lot of water to go under the bridge before a start is confirmed and the Warrnambool-based horseman wants to see how the gelding returns.
“He’s ready for a jump out on Monday and then we’ll probably jump out at Caulfield Heath on the 19th with a likely kick-off on the 29th at Caulfield,” Dabernig said.
Dabernig said the cold and wet winter was not conducive to getting horses fit, adding Monday’s jump-out was an important step on that path.
“Even through my Lindsay Park days, getting the spring horses ready out of winter is, I find, not as easy as going from spring to autumn,” Dabernig said.
“In summer, with the warm weather, they seem to carry a bit more residual fitness.
“He’s come back really well, but with the wet tracks everywhere, and while you never miss any work, you’re only going along at about 80 per cent because you don’t want to overdo it on the testing ground.
“He will get benefit from a trip on the truck and in all honesty, he went out extremely fit and when he went out, he only had a month in the paddock.
“Technically, he should come to hand quickly, but he’s a horse that I have never pushed.
“Some horses you push to be where they need to be, but this horse, I have let him do it naturally and I haven’t felt the need to work him too hard too often, but there might come a stage when we have to.
“I want him to improve into the spring, not come out all guns blazing first-up and then peter-out, which some spring horses can do.”
While there has been interest in Oliveanotherday from an Everest perspective, Dabernig said he was trying to put that behind him and concentrate on the sprinter’s early form back from a break.
“I’m just concentrating on one run at a time and if it goes that way, we’ll embrace it and try and do the best we can,” Dabernig said.
While Oliveanotherday is still a few weeks away from racing, stablemate Shadhavar is set to resume in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Dabernig prepared Cavalry Girl to score at Caulfield Heath on Saturday and is looking forward to Shadhavar’s return.
Shadhavar was unbeaten in two runs last campaign, scoring at Murray Bridge first-up and then in Listed grade at Morphettville.
“We were thinking of going back for the Robert Sangster Stakes, but we thought with the spring and three Adelaide trips, all in the one prep, it might have been a bit too much,” Dabernig said.
“She seems to be going well, has a good Caulfield record and hopefully she can run well.”
