Aviator flying ahead of Rosehill return

Having taken a step back from the feature autumn two-year-old races in Sydney, Aviator will be on the front foot at Rosehill in his quest for a Brisbane winter campaign.

A debut winner of a 1100m midweek race at Rosehill on February 24, Aviator missed a scheduled start in the Pago Pago Stakes on March 12, the last qualifying race for the Golden Slipper.

He will restart his career in Saturday”s 1100m race for juveniles.

“He drew a wide barrier in the Pago Pago so we didn’t press on with him the autumn,” trainer Gerald Ryan said.

“He’s just been ticking over. He’s a lovely quiet horse and easy to deal with.

“There are no hassles with him and if he goes all right on Saturday we will take him to Brisbane.”

Ryan said he would be entered for the Group Two Sires’ Produce Stakes which would determine whether he progressed to the Group One JJ Atkins (1600m) on June 11.

“He is bred to get 1600 metres but whether is it as a two-year-old remains to be seen,” Ryan said.

“But he has the right temperament.”

Aviator is a half-brother to Monton, a four-time winner over 1600m and a close-up second over the distance in the 2013 Group One Chipping Norton Stakes.

The colt is one of 12 youngsters entered for Saturday’s race and his rivals include prolific country performer Alliterate.

The Pat Farrell-trained filly has won three of her seven starts, including the Wellington Boot and has run second twice.

While Aviator is up and running, Ryan has been forced to re-think the program of King’s Troop.

“We were going to run him on Saturday but he has an elevated temperature so we will reassess what we do with him,” he said.

As a late two-year-old, King’s Troop beat subsequent Group One winner Japonisme and finished second to him at three in the San Domenico Stakes but has failed to live up to that form since.

 

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au

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