With a history of setbacks, co-trainer Amanda Turner is desperate to make every one of Sabino Speed’s races count.
Turner, who trains in partnership with Mauro Poletti, decided to scratch Sabino Speed from Warwick Farm last Saturday because of a heavy track and a predicted unfavourable tempo in a 1600m race.
While Turner is still weighing up whether it is the right race, if Sabino Speed runs in Saturday’s Schweppes Handicap (1400m) he will be shooting for back-to-back wins.
“I want to run him but I want everything to be right,” Turner said.
“We’re limited in the runs we have before we stop with him again because of all his problems.”
After more than a year off, the horse returned to win a trial at Warwick Farm in April.
When jockey Peter Wells was pulling him up, he faltered at the crossing.
“There was nothing untoward, there was nothing on X-ray,” Turner said.
“He hadn’t done anything specific but his action had changed quite a lot.”
Rather than take any risks, she sent the horse to the paddock.
“It’s hard when he comes back in because he’s such a huge horse he takes at least three months to get up to even thinking about trialling,” Turner said.
“At his normal weight he’s a good 600kg plus.”
Sabino Speed showed he was back in business at Randwick on December 17, leading all the way to narrowly hold out the Mark Newnham-trainer Careless who he meets again on Saturday.
“It’s just about whether he’s going to be able to slot in somewhere without being caught deep without cover,” Turner said.
“Once that happens he really can over-race hard.”
Sabino Speed is on the second line of betting at $6 behind the $4.40 favourite Invincible Knight.
Turner and Poletti are in good form with a winning strike rate of a little less than 20 per cent and fresh from a winning double at Nowra on Tuesday.
They also have Intrepid Way in Saturday’s final race with the horse stepping out to 1600m.
Turner is hopeful the showers predicted in Sydney on Saturday can take the string out of the ground.
“We can’t wait to see him over the mile again, he’s just crying out for it,” Turner said.
She said Sabino Speed and Intrepid Way impressed her in their work together at Warwick Farm on Tuesday.
