The filly surely to be crowned Australia’s champion two-year-old, Earthquake, is back in the Darley stables and will commence full, fast work in the next week according to Darley’s racing manager Jason Walsh.
The daughter of Exceed and Excell hasn’t raced since finishing a gallant second in the Golden Slipper on a bog track, behind noted mudlark Mossfun, who she had beaten hands down in her final Slipper lead-up run.
It was her only taste of defeat from her 5 two-year-old runs, which included feature race wins in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude, the Group 2 Reisling Slipper trial and of course her crushing win in Melbourne’s famous Blue Diamond Stakes, in which she was piloted by Damian Browne filling in for an injured Kerryn McEvoy.
Walsh said their gun filly had a an elevated temperature leading into the Slipper and desperately needed a substantial break after another “gut-buster” on a heavy track in the two-year-old feature.
But after being given over seven weeks out of action she’s come back looking bigger and better and the everyone in the camp, including new trainer John O’Shea, couldn’t be more pleased with her progress.
Darley are setting the filly for the Sydney Autumn Princess Series, which commences with the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes over 1200m at Warwick Farm in early August. She’ll then progress on to the Tea Rose Stakes over 1400m at Rosehill and from there Walsh says they will plan the rest of her Spring campaign. Push on towards the Group 1 Flight Stakes, Epsom Day or freshen her up for a crack at the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight on Derby Day.
While Walsh is very confident she has the mental aptitude to run out a strong 1400m and mile, his doubts lay in the fact she’s so brilliant. But former trainer Peter Snowden maintained since day one that she would have no problem stretching out to the 1400m trip.
Talented stablemate to Earthquake, Shamardal colt Ghibellines has also come back into work in great order and is being aimed at the Caulfield Guineas, via the Golden Rose.
Walsh said the colt had always given the impression he would be a much better three-year-old. Being so regally bred they are going all out to try and crack it for a Group 1 win.
Colt Sidestep was being aimed at the Group 1 BTC Cup in Brisbane before going amiss in the week leading up to it. He is back and going better than ever and reports are John O’Shea is very excited about his spring prospects. His main aim will likely be the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
ATC Derby runner up Tupac Amaru is also ticking along nicely and Walsh and the Darley team have the Hawkesbury Gold Cup pencilled in as his likely return to racing. At this stage they think he’s a tier below the very best stayers and the plan is to run in the Coongy Stakes at Caulfield, on Guineas Day and then onto the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day.
However if he did happen to show sharp improvement a race like the Melbourne Cup definitely wouldn’t be off the cards. But at this stage his grand final will likely be the two mile Zipping Classic at Sandown. Walsh claims he’s a slow maturer and that his tilt at the big one on the first Tuesday in November might come in 12 months’ time.
All in all, Walsh is confident the team now headed up by John O’Shea can have a very big Spring with the new head trainer having had time to settle right in and get used to the regime.
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