A throw at the stumps by Taxmeifyoucan in Melbourne went wide of the mark and the four-year-old has returned home to familiar surroundings in Sydney with a view to running on Saturday.
Taxmeifyoucan finished last of the 12 runners in the Group Three Moonga Sprint (1400m) won by Boban on October 19 after being trapped deep and running even wider round the Caulfield turn.
He had earned a crack at Melbourne with his fourth in the Group Two Theo Marks Stakes won by Riva De Lago who is also among 16 entries for Saturday’s 1500m open event at Rosehill.
Subsequent Toorak Handicap winner Solzhenitsyn finished second in the Theo Marks, adding merit to Taxmeifyoucan’s effort but trainer Greg Hickman said he would prefer to give the Scone Guineas winner an easier assignment in the short term.
“Obviously at the back of our minds is the Villiers,” Hickman said.
“But we don’t know if he’s up to that.
“Melbourne didn’t work out. He got caught three wide and couldn’t get in.
“He worked really well in the opposite direction at home before he went but maybe he didn’t handle it.
“And he didn’t travel as well as I had hoped.”
Taxmeifyoucan will gallop at Warwick Farm on Tuesday before Hickman gives the green light to a start on Saturday.
“He’s a light, little fellow and that’s the reason we have spaced his races,” Hickman said.
“It’s always a case of just making sure he is happy and right on the day. He took a few runs before Scone to get to his best.”
Taxmeifyoucan’s biggest pay day came in the Scone Guineas in May restricted to horses sold at Inglis sales, but his form line also boasts a third to Rebel Dane in the Royal Sovereign Stakes.
Rebel Dane stepped up to win the Group One Rupert Clarke Stakes last month.
Riva De Lago is the highest rated horse in Saturday’s race with a benchmark of 105. The entries include 2010 Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday who made a pleasing debut for new trainer Joe Pride when sixth, beaten just 1-1/2 lengths in a 1400m race at Randwick last Saturday week.
