The Blue Diamond Preview didn’t go to script for Power Trip and trainer John McArdle is hoping it’s a different story in the Prelude.
Power Trip won the Maribyrnong Plate on debut last spring before finishing fourth on his return in the Blue Diamond colts and geldings Preview last month.
Power Trip
The two-year-old pulled up with heat stress but McArdle said all indications were there had been no lingering effects.
“He seems to be fine,” McArdle said.
“He had his well-documented problems after the race but we’ve done all the vet tests we can and he seems to be 100 per cent.”
Power Trip finished just over two lengths from the winner Cohesion in the Preview and McArdle said the son of Hard Spun did things wrong including over-racing.
“If we get the more relaxed Power Trip back on Saturday, from a good barrier he’d be an each-way chance,” he said.
McArdle is aiming at both the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper with Power Trip who is high up in the order of entry for both races.
“He’s already qualified, so if he continues to show that he warrants to go there then we’ll head there,” he said.
The Blue Diamond colts and geldings Prelude (1100m) has attracted a full field of 16 with Defcon favourite at $4.20 ahead of Weatherly ($6) and Flying Artie ($6).
Flying Artie has the outside barrier to contend with but has tightened from $8 to $6 in early markets.
Weatherly has barrier nine with Douglas Whyte to ride and Defcon has gate 13.
Weatherly was an eye-catcher in the Preview when sixth after bungling the start and encountering traffic problems.
Power Trip is at $11.
“He’s beaten Flying Artie (in the Maribyrnong Plate),” McArdle said.
“The horse that won the Inglis Premier last week in Melbourne (Valliano), he beat it by three lengths in the Maribyrnong Plate.
“There’s some very good horses in it, there’s no doubt about that, but he’s a horse that does have good ability and we’ll find on Saturday whether it’s worth pressing on with.”
