Osborne Bulls has been scratched from the Gilgai Stakes but his younger half-brother Mercury can make an immediate impression at Flemington in Melbourne’s first juvenile race of the season.
Mercury is out of the mare Jerezana and will be the first of stallion Brazen Beau’s progeny to race.
Brazen Beau was a dual Group One winner in Flemington sprints, taking out the 2014 Coolmore Stud Stakes and the 2015 Newmarket Handicap.
Mercury got a look at the straight course in a jump-out last week in preparation for Saturday’s Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) when he was held together to finish fourth..
“He was a lovely yearling and he looked good in his action in a straight-track jump out last week,” Godolphin trainer James Cummings said.
“He’s got a bit about him this colt.
“He should be strong late here, which would be great to see in the first two-year-old race in Melbourne.”
Osborne Bulls, fifth in the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at his most recent start, was withdrawn from Saturday’s $200,000 Gilgai at Flemington to be saved for Saturday week’s $500,000 Sydney Stakes at Randwick.
Mercury was at $12 on Thursday for the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes with the Tony McEvoy-trained colt Sun City the $4.60 favourite with TAB Racing.
