A Brisbane winter carnival campaign is in the pipeline for Mahamedeis who returns to the racetrack at Bendigo.
A veteran of five starts in which he has finished in the quinella placings on each occasion, Mahamedeis has his first run in stakes company on Saturday in the Listed Bendigo Guineas.
Trainer Nick Ryan has picked out the $300,000 VOBIS Sires’ at Caulfield on April 21 as Mahamedeis’s next assignment after which a decision will be made on a trip north.
Ryan is considering setting the gelding for the Group One Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben in June.
“I don’t want to get too carried away as he’s got to run well in his next two,” Ryan said.
“But if he went to Queensland he’d be going Rough Habit, Grand Prix to the Derby but he could go to the Guineas if it looked like he wasn’t going to run the 2200 metres.
“But I think he will.”
Mahamedeis progressed from a debut second in maiden grade at Pakenham, a secondary meeting, on VRC Oaks day in November to winning over 2000m at Flemington in January.
Ryan gave the gelding a three-week break in the paddock after that before concentrating on Saturday’s return.
He said the gelding wasn’t knocked about when last of five against older horses in a Cranbourne trial over 990m on March 19 before galloping strongly at Sandown earlier in the week.
“He’s not a flash track worker,” Ryan said.
“He’s a very laid-back customer but he’s stepped up to the mark every time I’ve taken him to the races and hopefully he can do the same this prep.
“We’ve hopefully got some plans for him if he runs well at Bendigo and then Caulfield but it’s a very hot race on Saturday.
“I’d be rapt if he settled back and was hitting the line.”
