Gratz Vella, a trainer based in Canberra, has had his career’s most significant thrill courtesy of the three-year-old gelding Music Time.

During his debut preparation, the son of All Too Hard captured the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m), Canberra’s premier juvenile event, and subsequently achieved a strong third place in the nation’s foremost two-year-old race, the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m).

Now, Vella has his sights set on Sydney’s premier three-year-old races, with Music Time slated to make his seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens this coming Saturday.

Music Time received a beneficial conditioning run when he finished second in his only trial over 1040m on August 14th, and Vella is confident this outing has prepared him sufficiently for Saturday’s challenge.

“I said to Tommy Berry before his trial ‘he hasn’t had too much, a couple of nice gallops and one jump out, just go easy with him today and it’s only going to benefit him,” Vella shared.

“And he come back in and said ‘Gratz, this horse is a lot more forward that what you think he is.'”

“He’s come on very well from his two-year-old season, especially since that barrier trial. He had a good gallop Tuesday morning with one of my senior horses and matched strides with him, the jockey came in and said how good he was.”

Having initially considered targeting The Kosciuszko (1200m), a race exclusively for country-trained horses, a consultation with the Racing New South Wales Handicapper has led Vella to aim for more prestigious targets, setting Music Time on a path toward the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).

“I rang up the handicapper and I asked him about the Kosciuszko and for a three-year-old, he’d be carrying 60 kilos,” Vella explained.

“So I think that’s out of our picture. But I think if he goes well this weekend, by all means, we’ll just keep heading for the three-year-old races.”

“Who’s to say he can’t make it in a Golden Rose, because the horse’s he’s racing this weekend were mainly in the Golden Slipper and he didn’t finish too far away from the winner.”

Music Time, who will be partnered by Kerrin Mcevoy, is currently listed as a $15 chance for Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes, with the Golden Slipper winning horse Guest House installed as the $2.80 favourite.

Betting markets for the San Domenico Stakes are available at leading sports betting platforms.