Leon Corstens is looking for Sweet As Bro to bounce back to the winner’s circle at Moonee Valley and keep his hopes of sneaking into the Doncaster Mile alive.
The four-year-old lines up in a $100,000 Open handicap on Saturday and Corstens expects the conditions of the race to suit.
A son of High Chaparral, Sweet As Bro won three in a row including the Listed Kilmore Cup earlier this preparation before stepping up in class when fourth in the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Corstens conceded the on-pace dominated race won by Lidari didn’t suit the gelding.
“Last start was maybe a little bit disappointing but he had a lot of weight and maybe it was the wrong race to run in,” Corstens said.
“He’s got everything going his way on Saturday. He comes in one kilo under the minimum weight and I think he’ll run really well.”
Sweet As Bro gets into the Silver Thomas Hanley Handicap (1600m) on 53kg with apprentice Katelyn Mallyon’s 2kg claim.
He is nominated for the $3 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 12 but is 50th in the order of entry.
“I don’t know where he’ll head next. We’ll get over Saturday and work it out from there,” Corstens said.
“He’s only got 50 kilos in the Doncaster. He’s never going to get into a Doncaster with that weight again.”
Sweet As Bro would have to rely on a high attrition rate to get into the Doncaster field, or possibly back up in the Doncaster Prelude on Saturday week at Rosehill which carries a ballot and penalty exemption to the winner.
He is vying for favouritism in Saturday’s race with fourth emergency, the Mike Moroney-trained Saint Or Sinner, who is also entered for a race at Morphettville.
