An exhibition gallop between races last weekend was sufficient for local trainer Ross McConville to chase a feature success at home on Saturday.
McConville is still at a loss to fully explain South Of India’s flop on resumption at Royal Randwick on November 5 when he was chasing his sixth win on end.
But he has put that behind him, and given the talented gelding a clean bill for health for Saturday’s $300,000 The Warra (1000m), which now carries Group 3 status, at The Gong meeting.
“South Of India worked with one of fellow trainer Mitch Beer’s horses (Fumiko) between races at Kembla Grange last Saturday,” McConville said on Wednesday.
“South Of India led and they sprinted home the last 400m, and he won the gallop easily.
“He is ready to go on Saturday.”
McConville has booked Jay Ford, who will ride the four-year-old at his 53kg minimum as the trainer attempts to become the first local to win The Warra, which was inaugurated only in 2021.
Interestingly, all three runnings have been won by apprentices. Tyler Schiller, now a senior rider, scored on Eleven Eleven in 2021, and current champion apprentice Zac Lloyd was successful on Athelric and Insurrection in 2022 and 2023.
South Of India ran well below his best first-up when ninth as a $2.35 favorite to Headwall (a rival again) in a Benchmark 84 Handicap (1000m) at Randwick earlier in the month.
“Apart from the fact he was a bit fresh, I’m not really sure what went wrong,” McConville said.
“He had redness in his mouth afterwards perhaps caused by the bit, but has done really well since.
“We have set him for The Warra, and obviously it would be a terrific result if we could win it.”
Ford, who is bearing down on a career 1400 wins (currently 1386), has ridden in The Warra twice without any luck.
He ran 9th on the winner Eleven Eleven’s stablemate Our Bellagio Miss ($15) in 2021, and 7th on Remlaps Gem ($11) to Athelric the following year.
Eleven times Group 1 winner Ford, however, can count the $1m The Gong (1600m) as one of his numerous feature victories, having won the race in 2020 on $18 chance Archedemus.
South Of India on Wednesday afternoon was a $15 chance for The Warra, with Melbourne gelding Hedged (Chad Schofield) the $4.60 favorite in an open affair, typical of an outstanding program where winners may not be so easy to find.
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Territory Express’ trainer Paul Niceforo on Wednesday afternoon reported his gelding was in great shape for his tilt at the Group 3 The Gong (1600m).
“I couldn’t have him any better,” said Niceforo as he rests his hopes of a breakthrough this campaign with Jason Collett, who won last year’s edition with Detonator Jack.
“Importantly Jason knows Territory Express, having ridden him and won on him before.”
Territory Express emerged as the new The Gong favorite at $4.80 on Wednesday afternoon, taking over from Big Dance winner Gringotts, now a $5 chance after drawing awkwardly.
Blinkers are back on Waterford (Regan Bayliss), and for the first time go on Berkshire Shadow (Chad Schofield).
Story John Curtis, November 20, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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