Highly fancied Our Ivanhowe will have to pass a raceday veterinary test to run in the Group One BMW at Rosehill.
Racing NSW stewards will have the Caulfield Cup placegetter vetted on Saturday morning after co-trainer Lee Freedman reported the import was tender in his off-fore hoof.
Our Ivanhowe has been well backed to beat the Chris Waller-trained favourite Preferment and is a clear-cut second pick for the $1.5 million race at Rosehill on Saturday.
Freedman is chasing his second BMW win – more than a decade after his first.
Since preparing Makybe Diva to beat Grand Armee in the 2005 edition, Freedman has taken a break from training and returned to stable life last year in a partnership with his brother Anthony.
A two-time Group One winner in Germany, Our Ivanhowe hasn’t been able to salute in seven Australian starts.
But the six-year-old gave an insight into his class with a minor placing in last year’s Caulfield Cup and his last-start Australian Cup run suggested he is ready to peak for Saturday.
Settling midfield in a slowly run race at Flemington, Our Ivanhowe was less than two lengths away in fifth as Preferment beat Awesome Rock on protest.
Craig Williams figured in one of the most recent BMW upsets when Littorio defeated Zavite at double-figure odds and the leading jockey can’t find a reason why Rising Romance can’t give him a second win in the weight-for-age race.
Rising Romance is running into form after finishing third in the Australian Cup after being used up from the barrier to find a forward spot.
“She was asked to do a little bit of work to get into a position which was an advantageous position as the first three around the bend were the first three home,” Williams said.
“I just felt (the Australian Cup) didn’t suit her.
“Those other two horses had a better turn of foot than what she did so I think getting out to 2400 metres and a solid tempo would be to her advantage.
“She’s got very solid 2400-metre form and the BMW is a race that the favourites don’t necessarily always win.”
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au
