The $3 million Doncaster Mile is the long-range aim for Chase The Rainbow who is on target for a summer comeback after a pleasing barrier trial win at Cranbourne.
Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy said Chase The Rainbow would probably be entered for Saturday week’s Listed Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield before heading to either the Christmas Stakes or Standish Handicap.
“His ultimate aim is the Doncaster at Easter. But that’s a fair way down the track,” Hore-Lacy said.
Injuries have restricted Chase The Rainbow to seven starts and he has been off the scene since a first-up win at Caulfield in September last year.
Hore-Lacy is convinced the horse has the ability to make his presence felt in big races this season should he remain sound.
“He was last on the turn in the (2011) Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley and he won easing up by a length-and-a-quarter. So when we’ve got him right he’s a very good horse,” the trainer said.
Monday’s 990m trial at Cranbourne was Chase The Rainbow’s second this preparation and the trainer said the horse could hardly have been more impressive in winning his heat by close to three lengths.
Importantly, Hore-Lacy said the five-year-old appeared to have pulled up sound.
Chase The Rainbow stamped himself as a classy galloper with his last-to-first win in the Group Two Bill Stutt Stakes in 2011.
He was then unplaced in the Caulfield Guineas won by Helmet and didn’t race again for almost 11 months.
After winning first-up at Caulfield, the son of Dash For Cash was again forced to the sidelines.
“He had a swollen suspensory ligament,” Hore-Lacy said.
“We’ve had troubles with his feet. He’s a bit flat-footed but he’s got a bigger size shoe on now and we’ve had no trouble at all with his feet this time in.
“The other problem was his joints and we’ve had no problem with his joints this time in, so at this stage he appears perfectly sound and if we can keep him that way he should have a pretty good innings.”
Hore-Lacy said Steven Arnold was likely to ride Chase The Rainbow in his return.
Chase The Rainbow’s sire Dash For Cash won two Group One races for Hore-Lacy and finished second in four others during the autumn of 2003 including the Doncaster.
