Racing
Track conditions to determine plans for Accredited
Sydney’s wet and wild weather could claim the scalp of one of the Winter Stakes fancies.
The drying capacity of the Rosehill track will determine whether Accredited takes his place in the Winter Stakes at Rosehill as trainer Joe Pride mulls over a back-up plan.
The course proper was a heavy 9 on Thursday and Pride is hoping it improves into the soft range as Accredited's best form is on firmer ground.
While keen for the horse to run, he also has no qualms keeping his powder dry if conditions don't suit, having learned that patience and good management are much more important than a grab for instant gratification.
If Accredited doesn't go around, he could be freshened for an early-season tilt at the Missile Stakes (1200m) in August.
"It has been an unfortunate winter for him because there was always a chance it was going to be wet and he just hasn't had much luck yet," Pride said.
"He is a nice horse and the main thing I have found in these instances is you just look after the horse, get them through the period, don't run them in unsuitable races and then you've still got a horse there at the end of it."
So far, Pride is doing a good job of finding the right targets.
Accredited has won seven of his 17 starts, one of the only blots to his copybook a forgettable trip to Melbourne in May when he failed to navigate the undulations of the Sandown Hillside track.
"He had won at Nowra, Warwick Farm, Randwick. I thought, this is a good horse to travel, he is versatile. But, no. He didn't have a bar of it," Pride said.
Back in familiar territory at Randwick last start, the five-year-old bounced back to post an impressive win, aided by a beautiful Nash Rawiller ride from what could have been an awkward draw.
Pride didn't feel Accredited's economical run flattered his performance but rather showed what he could do.
"I thought he was the best horse in the race. He was just looking for a decent ride and he got that and he won well," he said.
Stablemate Estadio Mestalla will take his place in the Winter Stakes (1400m), Pride adding blinkers and planning to have the gelding ridden positively in a bid to turn around a disappointing start to his campaign.
He also has emergencies Cool Jakey and Testator Silens, although both need scratchings to gain a start.
Pride is particularly keen for the former to sneak into the field as he is a superior performer on rain-affected ground, particularly heavy surfaces on which he has won four of his eight starts.
"The dryer track was against him last start. He is a pure wet tracker and he looks like he will get that again Saturday," Pride said.
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