Next month’s Bunbury Stakes (1400m) is the primary target for Oly’s Choice, but co-trainer Ben Pearce doesn’t discount the son of Demerit winning first up at Ascot on Saturday.
After a few hiccups, Pearce and his brother Dan are relieved to have Oly’s Choice back at the races, launching his return in the Listed Bisley Workwear-Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m).
Oly’s Choice progressed through the grades in the manner of a good horse earlier this year and finished his campaign like a freight train, winning a sequence of four straight races.
But since his seventh in the Crawford Stakes (1000m) when resuming in October, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Oly’s Choice with a nasty leg injury ruining Ascot carnival aspirations.
In a body blow, the six-year-old couldn’t take his place in the Asian Beau Stakes (1400m), ruled out by vets and a late scratching after becoming fractious behind the barriers.
In a small field of six in the Cyril Flower Stakes, Oly’s Choice is the $12 gambling companies outsider, with Scenic Blast winner Twain’s Angel and runner-up Man Crush one-two in the market.
“I think he can run a forward race first up,” Ben Pearce said.
“I think his price is because it took him so long to find his form last prep.
“I guess that has to be a question, but I thought his first up run in the Crawford was good.
“Then the next start (Asian Beau) he got kicked in the barriers and split his leg open.
“It took quite a long time to come good and he needed a fair amount of stitches.
“But I liked his first up run and thought it was good.
“The Bunbury Stakes is his main aim; the owner is from there and it would be great to win it.
“But I think he’s forward enough to win first up.
“There will be speed in the race and hopefully he’s strong at the end.”
Oly’s Choice’s comeback preparation took in two contrasting trials.
In the first at Lark Hill, he couldn’t keep up, finishing last, before showing more zest at Pinjarra, careering away over three other rivals to win by six lengths.
“The trial was good,” Pearce said.
“He didn’t have much to beat, but he couldn’t have done much more.
“Clint (Johnston-Porter) was really positive and said he ran through the line strong.”
From barrier six, Steven Parnham takes the reins on Oly’s Choice.
