Trainer Brent Stanley has been pleased with the form and class displayed by Red Alto through his short racing career so-far, and is confident the rising three-year-old is in the right form for a maiden win in Saturday’s David Hopwood Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield.
Champion hoop Damien Oliver gave a glowing account after partnered Red Alto in a barrier trial last month. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell
Red Alto stamped his claims as one to watch with an impressive barrier trial performance prior to his debut on June 25th, and was unlucky not to make a perfect start to his competitive career when finishing a luckless second to Equinova in a Moonee Valley minor over 1000m on July 15th.
Stanley told Racing Ahead the son of High Chaparral has continued to improve in work over the last fortnight and is confident said he would not be surprised to see him beat a talented field, including the likes of Gredington at Caulfield on Saturday.
“He has progressed well,” Stanley said.
“It’s a little bit rushed – I usually wouldn’t run them this close and step up that distance but he is a 1400m or 1600m horse, he’s always shown that.
“He was tidy away the other day and first time in amongst horses and raced green but he did attack the line really nice.
“He’s trained on really good, has just a little pace work and had a gallop earlier in the week and everything suggests he’s ticked all the boxes and should go to the races.
“I’ve taken the blinkers off him just to ensure he doesn’t do too much early on in the run.
“I’ve got a nice opinion of the horse, he’s drawn one, he should have a nice run just back in behind them and fingers crossed he’ll get over the line on Saturday.
“Damien Oliver jumped him out a week before he went to the races and he flew the lid that day but there was only two of three horses with him.”
Stanley is yet to set a specific target for Red Alto beyond Saturday’s race, but revealed he will look towards notable 2015 Spring Carnival races should form warrant consideration.
“I believe the horse is still a little bit immature, I think he’s a very nice horse in the making,” he said.
“He does surprise us – you show him something once and he picks it up straight away.
“I’ll let him see where he is on Saturday. Saturday is not his main aim or his test but if he trained on though the prep. All jokes aside he’d need to improve a fair bit to be a spring contender in the big races.”
Ladbrokes.com.au is currently offering the best odds on all Caulfield races this weekend, for which Red Alto can be taken at a quote of $7 to win the David Hopwood Handicap.
