Having proven his worth as a two-year-old, General Beau will now try to show his class as a three-year-old when he steps out at Caulfield.
General Beau stepped out in the first two-year-old race last season and contested Melbourne’s feature two-year-old, the Blue Diamond, and on Saturday runs in the first stakes race for the three-year-olds, the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m).
The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra -trained son of Brazen Beau showed he was one of Melbourne’s better two-year-olds last season, winning on debut up the straight at Flemington last September.
He went on to finish second to Ingratiating, an opponent on Saturday, at his second start before returning in the autumn to claim the Blue Diamond Preview and Blue Diamond Prelude, before running fifth to Artorius in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
Zahra said General Beau needs to temper the enthusiasm he puts into his races if he is to stretch out in distance, but the trainer believes with time he may be able to do so.
“He’s a real competitor and wants to get himself into the race,” Zahra said.
“At this stage we’ll probably keep him to the sprints.
“He can get a bit fierce and want to get going, so hopefully with a bit of racing and a couple of preparations under the belt, he can learn to relax and get over bit more of a trip.
“I don’t mind having one of the best three-year-old sprinters around.”
Having been ridden by Jamie Kah in his five runs to date,Damian Lane takes over in the saddle on Saturday.
Zahra said Lane’s style will hopefully work in getting General Beau to settle.
“He likes to get them to come back a little bit and make them sit and sprint,” Zahra said.
“He’s not really squeezed down and we go in a little soft in condition.
“We’re in August, not October, November, so we’ve got a long spring ahead.”
