Stradbroke Handicap winner Under The Louvre will follow a familiar spring path in a bid to add another Group One victory to his record.
After considering their options, connections of Under The Louvre decided to start his campaign in Saturday’s Group Three Resimax Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
It will be his first race since the Stradbroke in Brisbane in June.
“We were looking at options for him because he’s going to go through to the Rupert Clarke as he did last year,” trainer Robert Smerdon said.
“That’s a Group One option for him in two runs time. There’s a Group Three on Saturday then a Group Two down the straight in a couple of weeks and then into the Rupert Clarke.”
Under The Louvre contested the same three races at the start of his 2015 spring campaign, finishing fifth in the 1100m event, second in the Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington and a close third in the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
“If his form warrants it, a month after that he could go to the Manikato Stakes,” Smerdon said.
After the Stradbroke, Under The Louvre had a short break in Queensland.
“I can’t fault him. He’s as good as he’s been,” Smerdon said.
“He had three weeks in the sun up there and then came back and he’s done plenty of work for a first-up run.
“So he goes there fit and well and we’re expecting him to be super competitive.”
Nick Hall reunites with Under The Louvre on Saturday with Stradbroke-winning rider Dwayne Dunn to ride Santa Ana Lane.
Smerdon said Dunn took the ride before connections of Under The Louvre decided to run him at Caulfield.
Hall has ridden Under The Louvre seven times for two wins and five placings.
