Robbie Laing is hoping history can repeat with the return of Stars Of Carrum to his Cranbourne stable.
Laing prepared Stars Of Carrum early in his career to win the Group 2 Vase at Moonee Valley in 2018 before running second to Extra Brut in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.
Stars Of Carrum left Laing’s stable in his four-year-old year after the trainer struck a financial hurdle and after stints with Mick Kent, Pat Carey and Peter Moodythe stayer is back with Laing and about to have his first run in 15 months.
The Festive Season Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday will be Stars Of Carrum’s first run since finishing third at Sandown in September 2021.
Laing says there are similarities with former Australian Cup winner Roman Arch who returned to Laing after a stint in South Australia with Mick Whittle almost two decades ago.
“He left for two years, came back as a seven-year-old and won a further $1.5 million,” Laing said.
“He won an Australian Cup, a Sandown Classic, a Werribee Cup, a Victoria Handicap, ran second in a Hollindale Cup, a Doomben Cup and a Blamey.”
Stars Of Carrum returned to Laing having overcome a tendon injury.
After plenty of work with renowned tendon specialist Lee Evison, Laing has prepared Stars Of Carrum for the past two months.
There were those asking whether Laing could follow a similar path of preparing Stars Of Carrum for a first-up tilt over a trip, but instead he is using shorter course racing to bring the stayer back.
“Sir Pentire and Mazzacano had the luxury of running in hurdle and steeple trials through January, February and March on good tracks that didn’t have a hoof-print on them,” Laing said.
“But when you’ve got a flat horse and you want to run him in a 1200-metre trial, it’s usually heat 21, 22 or 23 of the morning and the tracks are cut up.
“If I want the horse to stay sound, I would be better off doing a Bart Cummings, or a George Hanlon, running in a straight line on a beautifully manicured Flemington and that’s what we’re doing.
“I’m hoping there is plenty of pace in the race, so they do come back to him from the 200 metres.
“If they do what they have been doing, sit up early and sprint home, he won’t get near them, but I don’t want to see him being in the early speed battle being mad fresh.
“I have seen stayers do that and get awfully tired. I want to see him running through the line, like Hyperno used to, Think Big, all those good stayers of Bart’s.”
Longterm Laing is eyeing March’s Adelaide Cup (3200m) and The Roy Higgins (2800m) at Flemington.
Success in The Roy Higgins affords the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup, a race Laing was eyeing with Stars Of Carrum before standing aside from training for two years.
