Three-year-old Getafix is expected to take his place in the opening race at Rosehill, a week after being scratched from an assignment at Randwick for which he was one of the leading fancies.
John O’Shea confirmed the gelding had a setback leading into last week’s race and while it was minor enough that he could have run, O’Shea and training partner Tom Charlton decided to take a conservative approach.
“He had a bit of a blemish on his blood,” O’Shea said.
“(Last) Thursday afternoon his temperature was a bit higher than normal, so I took a precautionary blood and the temperature issue was real.
“We monitored him, he had an easy day. The temperature was still a bit elevated on Friday but not out of normal range, and then it came back to normal (on Saturday)
“If it had been grand final day on Saturday, he’d have run, but we’re early in the spring and he didn’t need to.”
Getafix has instead been given a week to overcome the hiccup and is slated to line up against six rivals in Saturday’s Schweppes Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill.
Among them are two regally bred three-year-olds in the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dawn Service and Chris Waller debutante Autumn Glow.
Dawn Service is the first foal out of former top race mare Sunlight and steps up to Saturday grade after posting an emphatic four-length win at Hawkesbury last start.
Autumn Glow, a half-sister to Group 1 Golden Rose winner In The Congo, makes her first race day appearance after scoring a sharp win at her most recent trial.
O’Shea and Charlton have also paid up for Junqueira in the Kia Ora Prague Handicap (1400m), the mare set to back-up from her fifth to Cosy Corner at Randwick on Saturday.
The stable will be bidding to continue its handy start to the season after landing a metropolitan double last weekend courtesy of staying mare Awesome Wonder and Group 2 Missile Stakes winner Schwarz.
