Sydney three-year-old Favreau has been dispatched to Melbourne to contest the Listed VRC St Leger as a learning curve for the future.
Trainer John Sargent hopes Favreau will do a fair amount of racing at Flemington in the years ahead and as part of his education wants to give the gelding experience at the track.
And Sargent believes the trip to Melbourne will also be beneficial for Favreau’s maturity.
Favreau arrived at the Flemington stables of Peter and Paul Snowden and Sargent reported the gelding was “straight into his tucker”, a sign he had travelled well.
“The main reason I’m sending him down is I think the trip away will make him before he goes out for the spring,” Sargent said.
“We also get a run around Flemington as we hope he will be running around there in the next few years a fair bit.
“I would say he’ll go for a break, unless he won well, as there is also the South Australian Derby, two weeks later, but I’m just going to play it by ear.”
After wins at Canberra and Kembla Grange, Favreau finished fourth in the Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill then ran sixth to Explosive Jack in the Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 10.
Sargent said Tommy Berry got going too early in the Derby when following the winner.
“He just didn’t think there was enough pace, so he went when he possibly should have waited,” Sargent said.
“I think he should get the trip on Sunday. He should be able to get into a nice rhythm and if they roll along, that should suit him.
“Damien Oliver chased the ride. He rang up after the Derby, so I thought that was a good sign.
“Let’s hope he’s right.”
