Tom Dabernig says Grande Rosso races best when fresh
The one thing Lindsay Park has learned about Grande Rosso in the short time they having been training the gelding is he doesn’t like a lot of work.
And now they are experimenting whether a drop in distance is something the gelding can handle.
After winning over 1400m at Pakenham earlier in the month, Grande Rosso will now attempt black-type racing for the second time in his career when he runs in the Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Monday.
The only time Grande Rosso has run in a stakes race was on debut in a Blue Diamond Preview, 22 starts ago.
Grande Rosso has only been with Lindsay Park for three starts after starting his career with Mark Riley.
When Riley was rubbed out for three years after Victoria’s Court Of Appeal reinstated his disqualification over a high TCO2 reading, Wez Hunter had the gelding for one run before he was transferred to Lindsay Park.
Co-trainer Tom Dabernig says it’s a bit of an experiment to come back in distance but they have discovered Grande Rosso races best when fresh.
“We ran him at a mile off a relatively quick back-up during Cup week and he ran poorly,” Dabernig said.
“Since then we’ve found that his best runs have been with little work and kept fresh.
“This race we thought that we don’t have to do much with him, try him over shorter and see what happens.”
Dabernig said Grande Rosso came to the stable in great order but it took them a little while to work him out.
“He can be an aggressive track worker so that’s why by doing not as much, he doesn’t go leaving it on the track,” Dabernig said.
“Watching his replays when he’s gone up in distance he’s travelled forward and pulled a bit and hasn’t finished off.
“Over a shorter distance where they go a bit harder he gets off the bit.
“Hopefully in a race like this there will be a bit of pressure and he will drop off a bit and dash home.”
