The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Sir Bailey is about to embark on his three-year-old campaign that may lead to a bigger prize during the spring.
The son of multiple Group 1 winning mare Jameka resumes in the Inglis Ready2Race Sale October 11 Plate (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday, his first start since April.
Maher and Eustace have held Sir Bailey in high regard, but to date the colt has not delivered on that promise, winning just one of his five starts.
But Maher is confident Sir Bailey can hit his straps this campaign.
While nominations closed early for both the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 24 and the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 8, Maher and hopes that Sir Bailey may graduate to one of those races.
As a son of Impending, Maher doubts whether Sir Bailey will stretch out to the 2500m of the Group 1 Victoria Derby, a trip his mother was successful over in claiming the Victorian Oaks in 2015.
Maher said Sir Bailey had become more stable as he has got older and was preparing nicely for his return run on Saturday.
“He was a little bit unruly as a two-year-old, but he seems to be a little more mature mentally now,” Maher said.
“He’s prepped up really well and I think he’ll still improve from the run, but he’s coming up well.
“As for the Guineas, he’ll likely head that way if everything goes well.”
Sir Bailey scored at his second race start when successful over 1300m at Sandown before finishing 11th in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, a race Jameka won as a two-year-old.
The colt was last seen finishing down the track in the VOBIS Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield in April.
