Sejardan has been given the thumbs up by trainer Gary Portelli and jockey Jason Collett following an exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill, his final serious piece of work before the $2 million Inglis Millennium.
The winner of the Breeders’ Plate and Golden Gift in the spring, Sejardan will make his first appearance of the year when he resumes in next weekend’s 1100 metre restricted sprint at Randwick.
He worked alongside stablemate Royalzel at Rosehill on Saturday with Sejardan shading the stakes winner on the line, recording 49.58 seconds for the 800m gallop and coming home his last 600m in 35.52 seconds.
Portelli said it was just what he wanted to see from the exciting colt heading into next week’s race.
“He carries a bit of extra weight so that would have tightened him up nicely,” Portelli said.
“We’re on track for the weekend, then it’s five weeks until the Todman Stakes, then the Golden Slipper is a fortnight later. That’s the plan.
“He’s a good horse. I don’t know if he’s going to win a Slipper yet, but he’s on the right path and for me, he’s the horse they have to beat.”
Among Sejardan’s Inglis Millennium rivals will be the Chris Waller-trained Zambezi River, who finished second behind him in the Breeders’ Plate during the spring.
Zambezi River was scratched from Saturday’s Canonbury Stakes to avoid a clash with stablemate Great Barrier Reef, who started a popular favourite in the race but disappointed with his battling fourth to Queenslander Best Of Bordeaux.
The Randwick meeting also features the Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m), a traditional autumn carnival launch pad for the three-year-olds.
Tulloch Lodge’s J J Atkins winner Converge and promising Godolphin colt Paulele are both slated to resume in the Group 3 race.
