Damien Oliver has reunited with dual Group One winner Suavito in a jump-out at Flemington and will have first call on the ride when the mare resumes next month.
Oliver has won five races on Suavito including the 2015 Group One Futurity Stakes but hasn’t ridden her in a race since last year’s Blamey Stakes win.
“He will be offered the ride and the ownership group are very keen to put Damien back on board,” trainer Nigel Blackiston said.
“If not Luke Currie will ride her.”
Currie rode Suavito during the autumn which was highlighted by her first-up win in the Group One C F Orr Stakes.
Suavito took another step towards her planned return with an 800m jump-out on Friday.
The mare finished behind the placegetters and wasn’t pushed by Oliver.
“She wasn’t tested or asked too many questions. She was just given a nice little pipe-opener and I’m looking for her to trial again in two weeks,” Blackiston said.
“Damien rode her this morning and said she felt good and was nice and free in her action.
“She never will be a great trialler but I was pleased with what I saw this morning. And Damien, he hasn’t ridden her for a year and he came back and gave her a good glowing report.”
Blackiston has the Group Two P B Lawrence Stakes and the Group One Memsie Stakes next month on the radar for Suavito, a dual Group One winner at Caulfield over 1400m.
“At this stage we’ll trial in two weeks and then we’ll look at the P B Lawrence and the Memsie,” Blackiston said.
“They’ll possibly be her first two options, or one or the other.”
Blackiston is pleased with how Suavito is coming up and says he will know after her her first couple of starts whether she still wants to be a racehorse or wants to be a broodmare.
