回復 #11 pakkilo 的帖子
HORSE breaker and trainer Rick Worthington has never been afraid to sell a horse at the right price, but emerging talent Steel Giant is not for sale.
"We've had offers, numerous offers for the horse, but we won't be selling him," Worthington said yesterday. "He is a horse that could develop into a serious Caulfield and Melbourne cups horse next season. It doesn't take Einstein to work out they don't come along every day."
Worthington will saddle up Steel Giant in today's $500,000 Rosehill Guineas, with Larry Cassidy to ride from the inside gate.
Steel Giant, lightly raced with four wins to his name from just six starts, was on the heels of star Melbourne three-year-old Weekend Hussler when a last-start fifth in the Randwick Guineas.
"It was there for all to see that the bad barrier [15 in a 17-horse field] didn't help us last start and he had to do more work than we planned," Worthington said of the Randwick run.
"Because of his position and racing wide he was caught flat-footed on the turn but he worked home very strongly. Had we had a better barrier he could have finished closer. From the good gate in the Rosehill Guineas there will be no excuses."
During the past couple of years Worthington and wife Dawn, along with racing partners Ross Smyth-Kirk, the chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, and his wife Denise, have sold promising types War Of The Worlds and Star Of Luis to Hong Kong for upwards of $1 million each.
"Larry Cassidy actually asked me if we were considering selling this horse," Worthington revealed. "I assured him we would not be selling. The horse is still raw and immature and he is doing everything he is doing now on class alone.
"Larry jumped off him after the Randwick Guineas and said straight away he would be happy to stick with us [in future races]. That's a good pointer, Larry's opinion is one which I respect.
"The best is ahead of him and Ross [Smyth-Kirk] and Denise and my wife Dawn and I want to race him. Ross is very happy to have a genuine group 1 horse to race. I am just a passenger going along for the ride with the horse. It is a privilege to train him."
Steel Giant is a gelding by Carnegie and is out of former smart Victorian mare Vonanne, and was a $160,000 Easter sale buy in 2006.
"He is a very sound horse, has been his whole career so far," said Worthington. "EI [equine influenza] set us back a bit late last year but we've managed to deal with that the best we can. I thought he could have been a Caulfield Guineas chance but we never got to that race. We have had these races in mind, the Rosehill Guineas and AJC Australian Derby two weeks later, for some time now.
"Even though he is lightly raced he has been up for a while and we had him at his peak to win the Canberra Guineas. But we gave him a small breather leading up to the Randwick Guineas. I'm very happy with the horse.
"We are hoping he will run very well on Saturday and then continue on to the derby. After that we'll look to the cups in the spring. It is an exciting time."
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