Melbourne spring carnival candidate Eric The Eel will make his return to racing at Doomben, more than a week later than expected.
Caloundra trainer Stuart Kendrick had planned to run Eric The Eel in a 1400m-race at Eagle Farm on September 7 but decided to wait.
Instead Eric The Eel will run in Wednesday’s Three-Year-Old Handicap (1350m) where he has top weight of 59.5 kg at Doomben.
“I always intended to start him at a distance around 1400 metres and the Eagle Farm race would have been ideal,” Kendrick said.
“But I just felt he may have needed another jump-out and now he has had that he is ready to race.”
Eric The Eel has not run since coming from last for fifth in the Group One J J Atkins at Eagle Farm on June 8.
He impressed in a Sunshine Coast barrier trial last month when he again came from last to finish second in slick time and has barrier six of nine on Wednesday with Robbie Fradd to ride.
Eric The Eel has been nominated for the Group One Caulfield Guineas on October 12 and the Group One Cox Plate on October 26.
Kendrick said if Eric The Eel returned in good form he could also carry on to the Victoria Derby.
“Of course all that is in the future and we can be more definite when we see how he goes on Wednesday,” Kendrick said.
“There are also some races in Sydney which could suit him.”
Eric The Eel is named after the Olympics slowest-ever swimmer Eric Malonga from Equatorial Guinea after it was originally planned to call him Usain, after champion runner Usain Bolt.
Eric The Eel cost $7000 but Kendrick is hoping he can return many times that amount.
