A Group Two sprint in Adelaide next month is the main target for stakes winner Falcool
A Group Two sprint in Adelaide next month is the main target for stakes winner Falcool but trainer Aaron Purcell is still undecided whether the gelding has his lead-up at Caulfield or Morphettville.
Falcool is an acceptor for the Selangor Turf Club Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday and also an 1100m event in Adelaide, both $100,000 races for three-year-olds.
“I haven’t really had time to go through the fields in much depth just yet,” Purcell said.
“I’ll go through the replays and figure out speed maps and where we’re going to be in the run.”
Falcool has barrier four in a capacity field at Caulfield while he has drawn nine at Morphettville and Purcell’s initial thoughts are that could pose some difficulties.
“I’m probably leaning towards Melbourne but I’m undecided,” he said.
Falcool won the Listed Moomba Plate first-up this campaign at Flemington before a somewhat unlucky fourth in a 1200m race against his own age at Moonee Valley.
“The (Group Two) Euclase Stakes is four weeks from this Saturday and that’s his goal,” Purcell said.
“We’ll probably run him on Saturday and then his next start might be the Euclase.
“He’s shown a heap of ability from day one. He’s pretty much won every trial he’s been in and we always thought he would be a good horse.”
He said Falcool, winner of three of his eight starts, had trouble with shin soreness as a young horse.
“Then in his second preparation he won two out of four and he’s won one of two this time in and had genuine excuses when he hasn’t won,” he said.
After finishing strongly to win first-up at Flemington, Falcool raced just behind the leaders at Moonee Valley and got held up for clear running at a crucial stage.
“If we had have got the run through he probably would have gone close to winning,” Purcell said.
“We probably rode him a bit close last time so we’ll ride him back a bit this time. He was obviously pretty good hitting the line first-up, so we’ll be riding him similar to that.”
