As he looks to continue a successful winter campaign with Dylan’s Romance, Sydney trainer Marc Conners has turned his attention interstate.
Dylan’s Romance, who turns seven on Thursday, is set to run in Melbourne on Saturday for the first time at his 52nd start, chasing a fourth victory from his past six races.
Warwick Farm-based Conners selected the Dynamic Print Group Handicap (2040m) at The Valley as the next suitable target for Dylan’s Romance, whose only previous start outside of NSW was at Canberra in October 2016.
After a big-margin win over 1900m at Gosford in the third start of his this preparation, the frontrunning gelding then held on to win again at Canterbury in June over the same distance in a benchmark-70 before being unplaced at his next start.
He bounced back with an all-the-way victory in a 2000m benchmark-78 on wet ground at Rosehill on July 13 before backing up seven days later in open company at Randwick where he stuck on well in the straight after leading to finish a close fourth in the Eremein Handicap (2000m).
“He’s been in really good form and I thought his run the other day was fantastic under the circumstances,” Conners said.
“He showed that he’s still in really good form and that’s why I’m happy to travel him down.
“He’s never been in such good form. He looks a million dollars and remains the same weight he has been.
“I just thought this might be a race he is in up to his ears.”
Dylan’s Romance is scheduled to travel to Melbourne on Thursday night and Conners said the race fits in with his plans for the gelding who has won 10 races.
“He’s an off-carnival type horse so he will probably have a couple more runs then have a break while the spring carnival is on,” he said.
“He’s fit and well.
“I just thought he’s an older horse and the trip away would do him the world of good.
“He likes Canterbury and I thought Moonee Valley might be a similar sort of track to that.”
The Kevin Corstens-trained Twilight Run was the early $3.40 favourite on Wednesday in the field of 11 after a convincing Flemington win at his previous start, with Dylan’s Romance at $14.
