After more than two years away from the racetrack, what is another week.
Wetakemanhattan was scheduled to have his first start since March 2020 at Sandown last week, but a heavy track will instead see the rising eight-year-old run in the Brian Beattie Handicap (1420m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Trainer Matt Cumani said the likelihood of better track conditions at Flemington on Saturday was behind the decision to delay Wetakemanhattan’s return.
Wetakemanhattan has won six of his 19 starts to date and Cumani said the owners of the gelding had been extremely patient as the gelding overcome an injury.
“He had a very tiny tendon injury,” Cumani said.
“But his owners have been very patient and good animal people. They are farmers and were happy to give him as much time as he needed.
“It seems to have worked and he had a good jump-out the other day.”
Wetakemanhattan has not raced since finishing last in the Listed C S Hayes Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville in March 2020.
In a campaign that stretched more than six months, Wetakemanhattan was able to win first-up over 1630m at Flemington in the previous September.
He then followed up to claim the Horsham Cup (1800m) in his next outing the following month.
While Wetakemanhattan has performed solidly fresh in previous campaign, Cumani is not expecting a win from the gelding on Saturday.
“His fitness may still be a question,” Cumani said.
“He still looks a bit rounded and ring rusty, but he is a competitive horse that is going well on the track.
“I think the 1400 metres is too short for him, but he is feeling very well and is fresh and can run a good race providing there is nothing else under the bonnet that we cannot see.”
