A glance at the cream of Australia’s sprinting ranks has buoyed Mark Newnham’s confidence that the best is still ahead for Group 1 placegetter Big Parade.
The lightly raced five-year-old returned to the trainer’s Randwick base on Monday to begin preparations for the spring and a possible tilt at The Everest.
While Big Parade will need to showcase his worthiness for a start in the $15 million feature, Newnham has taken heart from the fact two of the country’s best sprinters, dual Everest and Royal Ascot winner Nature Strip and Eduardo, are both later-maturing geldings who are rising eight and nine respectively.
“He’s a gelding and if you look at the sprint racing in Australia in the last few seasons, it has been dominated by older geldings, so there is plenty of time,” Newnham said.
“He is not a horse that has been heavily raced.”
Big Parade won the Sydney Stakes (1200m) on The Everest undercard last year and just missed capturing his first Group 1 in the autumn when a narrow second to Shelby Sixtysix in The Galaxy.
He was put away after finishing third to Kementari at his subsequent start in the Hall Mark Stakes when he was sent out an odds-on favourite and emerged from the race the worse for wear.
“He pulled up with a couple of niggles out of that, nothing major,” Newnham said.
“Then it was just a matter of if we went on to Brisbane on heavy ground or freshened up and waited for the spring, so we decided to just wait for the spring.”
While the Everest is at the top of Newnham’s spring wish list for Big Parade, if slot holders don’t come calling the trainer has a couple of back-up options.
The horse could be readied to defend his Sydney Stakes title, or head to Melbourne.
“He will be ready to kick off in September, I’m not sure where yet,” Newnham said.
“It could be Sydney or Melbourne. If it’s Sydney, it will be the Premiere and then it’s either the Sydney Stakes or The Everest.
“Otherwise, it’s Melbourne for the Gilgai and Manikato.”
Newnham also confirmed Reisling Stakes winner Seven Veils and classy mare Expat were scheduled to step out in barrier trials this week.
Seven Veils has been earmarked to return in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 20 while Expat will be aimed towards the Golden Pendant and $2 million The Invitation.
