Two of Cliff Brown’s Group 1 performers are back in Melbourne about to start their preparations for a spring campaign.
Sepals and Von Hauke have enjoyed a break in the Queensland warmth since finishing second and third respectively in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm last month.
The pair arrived back in Melbourne during the week and will commence work on Monday.
“They spelled well,” Brown said.
“I went and saw them a couple of weeks ago, at Newington Farm and they were great.
“It was a long campaign, a heavy track last start, but they’ll kick back into on Monday and we’ll go from there.”
Brown said plans are fluid with Group 1 winner Sepals, although a trip to Sydney for the King Charles III Stakes, recently announced as attaining Group 2 status, was potentially on the cards.
Longer term, the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on the final day of Melbourne Cup week was a potential target.
“The Champions Mile in Cup week if he gets the mile, but we’ll just have to see how he comes up,” Brown said.
“Maybe the King Charles, but there’s a lot of nice horses going there and I thought a lot of the four-year-olds might go to The Golden Eagle.
“I reckon Von Hauke could be a good Epsom horse under the handicap conditions, over the mile, it would be good.”
Brown said with only 13 starts under the belt, Sepals was still to reach his best, while rising seven-year-old Von Hauke had finally realised what racing is about.
“My horses keep improving with age,” Brown said.
“Sepals has only had 12 or 13 starts while Von Hauke’s rising seven and still in great order.
“I don’t worry too much about the two-year-olds. I like to get them later, give them time and buy that sort of horse.
“We’ve only got 25 in work. Two make the Stradbroke, and we’ve had a few other city winners during the year, but there’s no two-year-olds.
“It is just time based.”
