Trainer Kris Lees believes Tavi Time is right where he wants him as the gelding builds toward a defence of the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day.
December 26 marks the opening of a busy Christmas–New Year black-type period in NSW, with the Summer Cup the first of four pattern races to be run across the festive stretch.
Stakes action continues on December 28 at Gosford with the Group 3 Belle Of The Turf (1600m) and the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m), before the Listed Canterbury Classic (1200m) rounds out the recognised races on New Year’s Day.
Tavi Time heads into the Summer Cup chasing back-to-back victories, having caught the eye in the Group 2 The Ingham at his most recent start. Despite finishing ninth, he was the only runner in the race to break 34 seconds for the final 600 metres.
Lees said the seven-year-old is in better shape this year than when he claimed the race 12 months ago.
“Last year he came through different races leading into the Summer Cup and while he was placing in those lead-up runs, I’m not sure he was going as well as he is this year,” Lees said.
“In saying that, he’ll need to be going better because he’s going to get more weight this year.
“The way he closed off in The Ingham points to him relishing the 2000 metres.”
Lees could also be well represented earlier on the card, with stablemate Kind Words — a last-start winner — a potential runner in the Quality Handicap.