The Mark Kavanagh-trained Elusive Touch will make a belated entry into the All Victorian Sprint series in an effort to avenge his defeat in last year’s final.
The lightly-raced five-year-old will have his first run since September in Saturday’s 1000-metre seventh heat of the series, just two weeks before a planned return to Flemington for the 1200-metre final on July 9.
A year ago Elusive Touch beat Grand Duels in his lead-up heat at Flemington in early June and went down in a photo-finish to Elumino in the final.
Kavanagh’s son Levi, who works as his stable foreman, said Elusive Touch had been deliberately kept for a winter campaign and another crack at the sprint series.
“He went well at this time last year and it is a good series for him,” he said.
“He’s going very well and he is pretty fit now after a couple of jumpouts.”
Formerly trained by Tim Martin in Sydney, Elusive Touch won two of five starts there before having his first start for Kavanagh in January last year.
His two wins for the stable include a Group Three victory in the Aurie’s Star Hcp (1200m) at Flemington last August.
Kavanagh said Elusive Touch was ready for a big first-up run on a track he loves.
“He likes Flemington and handles the straight really well,” he said.
“He likes a bit of soft ground, goes well fresh, and likes his races spaced.”
Elusive Touch’s only unplaced performance in six runs for Kavanagh was last start when he finished fourth to Drenalin in the Perri Cutten Hcp (1440m) at Caulfield on September 26.
After that run connections informed stewards the son of Elusive Quality had come to the end of his campaign while Michael Rodd reported he wasn’t suited to racing without blinkers.
Notably blinkers go back on Elusive Touch on Saturday and with Rodd again his rider he is $3.70 favourite with TAB Sportsbet to win first-up.
Last-start Caulfield winner Secret Flyer is second-up at Flemington and is considered the biggest danger at $4.60 ahead of South Australian sprinters Gran Sasso and Morgan Dollar who are both $9.50.
AAP TURF
