Multiple Group One placegetter Speediness has been given an extended summer spell and will venture into new territory in search of an elusive big-race victory.
The seven-year-old, who has finished second in two Group Ones and in the top four on three other occasions, will bypass both the Melbourne and Sydney autumn carnivals.
Speediness
Trainer Colin Scott will instead aim Speediness at the Doomben 10,000 and the Stradbroke Handicap in the Queensland winter.
Speediness went winless during the Melbourne spring but finished second in the Group One Toorak Handicap.
He failed more than once on firm tracks during his six-start spring campaign.
“The disappointment of the spring was him not copping hard tracks at all anymore,” Scott said.
“It sounds ridiculous to say that when he’s run fourth in a Group Three, second in a Group One and fourth in a Group Two during the spring, most people would be happy with that.”
Speediness is due to return to work in a couple of weeks and Scott was rapt with the gelding when he saw him in the spelling paddock last week.
“I’m looking forward to getting him back in,” he said.
“This time in we’ve decided we’ll most likely head straight to Brisbane.
“Where he kicks off we’re not 100 per cent sure, but he’ll go for the Doomben 10,000 and the Stradbroke.
“He’ll only have three, maybe four, runs for the preparation. He’ll be kept fresh and we’ll be looking for the sting out of the ground.”
The Group Two Victory Stakes (1200m) a month before the Doomben 10,000 could be his kick off race in Queensland.
“I’d love to see him go into the 10,000 with a month between runs, just fresh and happy and then obviously there’s two weeks into the Straddie,” the trainer said.
