Impressive three-year-old Mr Quickie is set to continue his march towards the South Australian Derby when he runs in a 1600m-race against his own age at Caulfield.
Mr Quickie headlines nominations for Saturday’s Super Vobis Three-Year-Old Handicap in which he will be aiming to stretch his current winning sequence to seven which includes his two starts for new trainer Phillip Stokes.
“Everything is going along well with him and obviously he’s in terrific form,” Stokes said.
“He is there fitness-wise so we’re just keeping him ticking over until the Derby, basically.”
So long as Mr Quickie works well on Tuesday morning, Stokes plans to start the three-year-old on Saturday and then progress to a 2000m-race at the same track three weeks later as his final lead-in to the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville two weeks later on May 11.
“We’re obviously aiming him for the Derby but we didn’t want to travel him to Adelaide too early, or twice,” Stokes said.
Mr Quickie, formerly trained by now-disqualified Darren Weir, won his first start for Stokes over 1400m at Flemington on his return from a spell on March 2 before racing clear in the straight to win the Mornington Guineas (1600m) by two lengths under 60kg on March 23.
That took his overall record to seven wins from nine starts.
“He’s a super horse. He’s just got that lovely will to win,” Stokes said.
“I couldn’t be happier with the horse.”
John Allen retains the ride on Saturday.
The main race on Saturday’s Caulfield program is the Listed Anniversary Vase and Stokes is looking to run last-start Hareeba Stakes third placegetter Snitzkraft.
“I think as long as he works well tomorrow I’ll probably accept with him and have a look,” Stokes said.
“I thought his last-start run was good enough and it looked like he was looking for 1400 metres.
The Anniversary Vase has attracted 28 nominations including Tasmanian-based gelding Hellova Street, and last-start Hareeba Stakes winner Streets Of Avalon who is also nominated for a 1200m-handicap on the program.
