A more cautious campaign program could help promising galloper Grayson Square to break through for his first open company win on Saturday.
Grayson Square tackles a small but quality field in the Mount Alvernia College Handicap (1600m).
He won three races in a row late last year and completed his campaign with a good second in the Listed Recognition Stakes (1600m) behind top Queensland galloper Rudy.
It encouraged trainer Brian Wakefield to set Grayson Square for stakes races campaign during the winter carnival.
Grayson Square ran in six stakes races without managing a place but in none of them was he disgraced.
“He just didn’t come up as well as I had hoped. He wasn’t far off them but he wasn’t at the level I had hoped,” Wakefield said.
Grayson Square had a break and returned with two handy efforts this month with the latest being a third behind Melbourne-bound Lordag over 1350m at Doomben.
“We have taken a more cautious track this time. I think the 1600m on Saturday will suit him and we will ride him aggressively,” he said.
“Whether that means we lead or take a sit, the pattern of the race will tell.”
Grayson Square cost $105,000 at the Waikato Sales and is not eligible for the Magic Millions races in January.
Instead he will press on to the summer stakes races over 1600m such as the Brisbane Handicap, Recognition Stakes and Bernborough Handicap.
Meanwhile, Wakefield has resisted the temptation to put blinkers on Siliqua who tackles the Rochelle Painting Handicap (1350m).
Siliqua was second at Doomben three weeks ago after being hit across the nose by a rival jockey’s whip.
Wakefield sent Siliqua to the trials where was an impressive winner wearing blinkers for the first time.
“He won very well although there wasn’t much in the trial,” Wakefield said.
“The blinkers probably fired him up so we will leave them off on Saturday.”
