A recent stable acquisition will head the Scone squad of John O’Shea and Tom Charlton in what is shaping as a big weekend for the training partners.
Along with their team for the two-day NSW racing carnival, O’Shea and Charlton will also have Group 1 aspirations in Brisbane where Schwarz is set to tackle the Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
Closer to home, Strait Acer will carry their hopes in Friday’s Scone Cup (1600m) after pleasing with his improvement at his second start for the stable when sixth in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m).
The five-year-old finished fourth in the 2023 Golden Eagle (1500m) and placed in that year’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Flemington but hasn’t quite managed to reproduce that form since.
Charlton saw positive signs in his most recent effort and hoped it was a signal that Strait Acer could rediscover some of his early-career spark.
“He actually ran alright at Hawkesbury. He was wide and back and made up good ground considering,” Charlton said.
“He is getting back towards form. It was a really encouraging run, he couldn’t have done much more.”
Strait Acer is among 43 entries for the Scone Cup, joined by the likes of Know Thyself, My Oberon, Tavi Time, Al Mubhir, Chorlton Lane, Ducasse, Amenable and Port Lockroy.
The O’Shea/Charlton stable also hope to have two mares, Countyourblessings and Captain Amelia, in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) on Saturday’s program.
Countyourblessings strung together a hat-trick of wins last preparation and wasn’t far away when resuming with a midfield effort behind Need Some Luck over 1200m at Randwick last month.
Captain Amelia performed similarly in the same race then struck an unsuitable heavy track when unplaced at the Hawkesbury stand-alone meeting.
“They’re both racing well without having been afforded much luck with barriers and luck in running,” Charlton said.
“Good Banter and Getafix might also go to Scone for benchmark races.”
Charlton also confirmed Australasian Oaks runner-up Polymnia would press on to Brisbane for a two-start campaign, culminating in the Queensland Oaks (2200m).
“She is Group One placed now and all being well she is going to prepare for The Roses and the Queensland Oaks,” he said.
“She was perhaps a little bit unlucky in the (Australasian) Oaks. She just didn’t get room when she needed it and while I have no idea if she would have beaten the winner, she would have finished a lot closer.”
