Talented colt Foxwedge will take his first step towards the Group One Golden Rose when he resumes in a barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday.
The John O’Shea-trained rising three-year-old is entered for a 740m heat in what will be his first public appearance since the Golden Slipper where he finished seventh.
“He looks really good and I’m very happy with him,” O’Shea said.
“He’s big and strong. His main target will be third-up into the Golden Rose.”
Foxwedge is expected to resume in the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) on August 13.
The Group One Golden Rose (1400m) is on September 10.
Following the Golden Rose, the plan is to freshen Foxwedge for the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Foxwedge won two of his four starts in his two-year-old season and placed third in the Group Two Todman Stakes (1200m) behind unbeaten Smart Missile and subsequent Golden Slipper winner Sepoy.
Foxwedge’s stablemate Quackquack is also scheduled to trial on Tuesday before she makes a belated debut.
Quackquack missed the chance to gain a berth in the Golden Slipper when she was withdrawn at the barriers before the Magic Night Stakes.
Her antics included getting her front feet over the partition and she was ordered back to the trials with a satisfactory outcome when fifth on July 1 at Randwick.
Among the late two-year-olds at the trials is the Gai Waterhouse-trained Compass, the first foal out Valkyrie Diva, a half sister to Makybe Diva.
Compass is a gelded son of Redoute’s Choice and will be having his first barrier trial.
Makybe Diva’s owner Tony Santic retained shares in Compass after he fetched $600,000 at the Easter Yearling sale in Sydney.
Although well and truly in the shadow of her triple Melbourne Cup winning sibling, Valkyrie Diva was handy on the track, winning eight races including one at Group Three level.
AAP TURF
