Trainer Chris Meagher will take the soft approach with No Drama Darci as he attempts to build the record of the lightly-raced three-year-old.
Meagher threw in a nomination for No Drama Darci in Saturday’s Saintly Handicap at Flemington, but instead the gelding runs over 1300m in the Spicer Thoroughbreds Handicap at Sandown on Wednesday.
The trainer says No Drama Darci will eventually go back to a higher grade but he is content to grow the gelding’s confidence against lesser opposition.
To date No Drama Darci is the winner of one race, a maiden at Pakenham, but has three seconds from his four starts, including a half-length defeat at the hands of Age Of Chivalry at Sandown on February 6.
“He’s been consistent and he was probably stiff not to win in his first prep and he proved that first-up when he won comfortably at Pakenham,” Meagher said.
“He then backed-it-up at Sandown when he probably got too far back from the gate while the winner had a cushy lead and has subsequently come out and run second in a Group Three at Flemington.”
Meagher said No Drama Darci continued to work well and was a relaxed customer around the stable.
With a middle of the line-up draw, Meagher expects No Drama Darci to be ridden a little closer on Wednesday under Ben Melham.
“I think Ben will give him a little squeeze out of the gates and he’ll be handier and hopefully take the bad luck out of play,” Meagher said.
“And the extra 100 metres won’t harm him as I think he’s looking for a little bit further.
“There was a 1400-metre race available but we’ll gradually build him up to get him over a little bit of a trip.
“We just want to get his head right and that’s why we’re running him over 1300 metres.
“What he’s shown us thus far, he’s probably got to put them away, but I think he’s a Saturday city grade horse with the potential for more.”
