The owner of unbeaten Ying La might have to wait until next year to justify passing up an overseas offer for the three-year-old.
Ying La, the target of a Hong Kong bid, will have his potential put under the microscope in the $100,000 Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
It’s not Grant Delaney’s preferred metropolitan Saturday test for the horse who has won his only three starts, but the Newcastle trainer is happy for him to go around in the Listed event.
“Ideally, it would have been better to find a normal Saturday three-year-old race but it’s there and it fits in nicely,” Delaney said.
“If he didn’t win I wouldn’t be totally distraught and win, lose or draw it will be his last run before he goes to the spelling paddock.
“This is only his second preparation and when he spells he’ll really thicken up.
“So far he’s done a lot in a short space of time so that augurs well for next year.”
Ying La was heavily backed on debut to win a Newcastle maiden and has since been untroubled in two Canterbury wins.
The Newcastle victory attracted interest from Asian bloodstock agents but Delaney said owner Matthew Chidgey wasn’t willing to part with the horse he bred.
“There’s been one offer made from Hong Kong and the owner knocked it back,” Delaney said.
Delaney and Chidgey first teamed up with the stakeswinner Air She Goes, a half-sister to Ying La’s dam Chain Of Ponds.
“Matthew loves his racing and he is one of the best owners a trainer could have,” Delaney said.
“He asked for my opinion (about selling) and I can only tell him what I think but in the end it’s up to him.”
With Glyn Schofield riding in Melbourne, Tommy Berry takes over on Ying La on Saturday.
Berry will be wearing Delaney’s colours of purple, white halves – silks made famous by Gunsynd, one of Australia’s most popular thoroughbreds.
“I’ve had the colours for about 20 years now,” Delaney said.
“It’s a nice bit of history to have.”
AAP TURF
