Scallopini will be part of the new blood in Caulfield’s second $200,000 Group 3 sprint of July with the Queensland gelding set to contest Saturday’s Bletchingly Stakes.
Co-trainer Steven O’Dea confirmed on Monday that the seven-year-old would fly south on Tuesday night with a view to contesting the 1200-metre event with Hall of Fame jockey Damien Oliver to ride.
The son of Snitzel was among 13 entries for the Bletchingly Stakes, which includes six of the nine horses who contested the Sir John Monash Stakes, including the winner of that event, Mileva.
Scallopini has not started since the Listed Wayne Wilson Stakes on June 11, when he struggled to run out the 1600m, but O’Dea said he and co-trainer Matt Hoysted were forced to look elsewhere for options with their local carnival now owner.
“After the carnival up here we thought about taking a few down for some races in the early spring in Melbourne,” O’Dea said.
“This race fits in nicely with the 1400-metre race in three weeks’ time, the Lawrence Stakes, and we’ll make a decision where he goes to after that.”
Scallopini, a winner of 10 of his 35 starts, had a 1050m trial at Deagon last Tuesday in which he finished second, five lengths behind Bandipur.
He had a gallop the Melbourne way of going at Eagle Farm on Saturday and will round out his Bletchingly preparations with a left-handed piece of work at Doomben on Tuesday morning.
“He’s never raced that way around before, but we were lucky enough that the Brisbane Racing Club allowed us to work the reverse way at Eagle Farm on Saturday morning,” O’Dea said.
“He just had an easy hit out there and tomorrow he’s going to work the reverse way at Doomben.
“He’s a pretty adaptable sort of horse and I’m sure he’ll handle things well.”
Sartorial Splendor, William Thomas, Aysar,Oxley Road and Felicia are the others from the Sir John Monash Stakes among the entries, with dual Group 1 winner Streets Of Avalon and Sydney visitors King Of Sparta and Mariamia among the others entered.
