Exciting young stayer Right Of Refusal is back on track for the Listed Galilee Series Final at Caulfield after a virus threatened to derail his campaign.
The son of Refuse To Bend has improved through the series but trainer Nigel Blackiston was forced to alter course and miss the last of five heats at Caulfield on March 26 when the gelding showed an elevated white cell count.
“We had to scratch him from Caulfield when he got some sort of bug but lucky for us he got over it quickly,” Blackiston said.
Recognising the need to run again before the Galilee Final at Caulfield on Saturday, Blackiston ran Right Of Refusal at Seymour last Thursday where he had a confidence boosting 2-1/4 length win.
“Everyone wants a fast stayer and he certainly showed a good turn of foot at Seymour,” Blackiston said.
“It was only a moderate field but he took off at the half-mile (800m), went right around them and won really well.”
Right Of Refusal has contested three Galilee heats and is exempt from the ballot for the $100,000 final (2400m) after a fast-finishing second to Cuban Sunday on March 9,
He was also a three-length eighth to Cosmic Causeway in the first heat over 1400m at Sandown on February 9 and fifth to Speediness in the third heat over 1600m at Sandown on February 23.
“He’s a lovely horse and is quite an exciting stayer in the making,” said Blackiston, who is keen to run Right Of Refusal in the Listed VRC St Leger Stakes (2800m) at Flemington on Anzac Day.
“He’s got a relaxed attitude about life and I think with more racing and even more maturity, in time, he will be even better.”
Cuban Sunday is the benchmark horse in the series following his heat win on March 9 with a dead-heat with the Peter Moody-trained Almodovar on March 26.
Blackiston said Right Of Refusal, with nine days between runs going into the Galilee Final, would relish the extra distance.
“He’s by Refuse To Bend who is a son of Sadler’s Wells and out of a Quest For Fame mare and the trip (2400m) looks ideal for him,” Blackiston said.
AAP TURF
