A jump-out at Sandown on Tuesday will ready Group One winner Sonntag for his final target of a light spring campaign.
This year’s Queensland Derby winner made a winning return in the Listed Sale Cup and runs in Saturday’s Group Three Eclipse Stakes at Sandown with Derby winning jockey Chad Schofield back aboard.
Sonntag
Trainer Henry Dwyer will take the four-year-old to Sandown on Tuesday for a jump-out in preparation for the 1800m race.
A two-start spring preparation was always the plan for Sonntag with a view to a major staying target next preparation.
“It was always going to be the Sale Cup into the Eclipse and then back to the paddock and set him for the Sydney Cup in the autumn,” Dwyer said.
“I just think you want them to get to their main target in the best possible condition. So to get there (to the 2015 Sydney Cup) in the best nick I think the best scenario was to have a light spring and have a bit more time in the paddock.”
Sonntag carried 58.5kg to victory at Sale with Michael Rodd filling in for Schofield who was recuperating after a fall at Moonee Valley a day earlier.
Dwyer was thrilled with the gelding’s first-up effort and has kept him ticking over towards the Eclipse Stakes.
“He always feels his racing a bit because he tries really hard,” the trainer said.
“In that race first-up over a mile with a big weight, it took a bit out of him but he bounced back to himself within a few days and has had a pretty easy time of it for the last fortnight.
“We’ll give him a little jump-out in the morning at Sandown over 800 metres just to have him back to where he should be to go to the races.”
He said the hit-out would be suitable for Sonntag to keep him sharp enough for the 1800 metres.
Sonntag has 58.5kg in the Eclipse which has 17 nominations.
Topweight is the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Spillway (59kg) but Hayes says he is leaning to running him in the Group Two Zipping Classic (2400m).
