Queensland Derby hopeful Oforawesome will put his Classic credentials on the line with a stopover run in Sydney on Saturday.
Prepared at Cranbourne in Victoria by astute trainer Michael Kent, Oforawesome is set to contest Saturday week’s Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm as long as he pleases his connections in the Woodford Reserve Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill against older horses.
He is currently at $26 for the Queensland Derby.
“It’s not the ideal preparation but the owners are quite keen to go to Brisbane for the Derby and I must admit the Derby does look quite thin,” Kent said.
“He’s a fairly immature horse but he’s got some promise.
“We couldn’t get a flight for him to Brisbane so we thought the best thing was to go halfway and have a start in Sydney and that would determine whether we kept going up next week or not.
“If he runs reasonably well tomorrow I’d say we’d head up for the Derby.”
Oforawesome, who began his racing career in New Zealand, has won three of his nine starts including a two-length win over 1800m on a heavy track at Sandown last Wednesday week.
The last time Kent was in Sydney he was celebrating a Group One success after Absolutely powered along the inside at Randwick to win a wet AJC Australian Oaks (2400m) on April 16.
“I had a good carnival up there, Blackie won (the Group Two Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill) as well,” Kent said.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Kontiki Park is favourite at $3.60 with TAB Sportsbet on Saturday while Oforawesome has been a big firmer to $6 after opening at $11 earlier in the week.
AAP TURF