Highvol is headed towards stakes company in Brisbane after the Nick Ryan-trained youngster kept his unbeaten Flemington record intact with another strong performance on Saturday.
Following up on his Anzac Day debut win, Highvol produced a professional effort to claim the Trevor Clarke Handicap (1400m), setting the stage for a trip north. With a flight booked for Tuesday evening, Ryan said the gelding will travel to Queensland as long as he recovers well from his latest success.
Sent out the $3.10 betting companies favourite, Highvol scored by three-quarters of a length over Buccleuch ($12), with Warrior Smile ($13) finishing a similar margin back in third.
The immediate plan is for Highvol to contest the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31, before stepping up to the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m) two weeks later.
“Fingers crossed he pulls up well and he’s on the plane into Queensland on Tuesday night,” Ryan said.
“He’ll be a late nomination for the Sires’ on Monday, so he’ll run in the Sires’ in two weeks and then into the J J Atkins.
“There’s a lot of upside. I’ve cruised along with him knowing he’s got a big four weeks ahead.
“We’ve just ticked a box getting through soft conditions today and he can put himself in a winning position, so that’s a second box ticked.
“Now we’ve just got to get him up there healthy and fit.”
Looking further ahead, Ryan will assess Highvol’s Brisbane performances before locking in any spring goals. While the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) remains a possibility, he acknowledged the challenge of returning from a Queensland campaign in time for the Melbourne spring.
“It’s a quick turnaround from the J J Atkins to the Caulfield Guineas,” Ryan said.
“Not many horses have a good record at coming back for it, look at Broadsiding last year, but horses thrive up there with the sun on their back.
“It’s all performance based and how he pulls up. If not, we may look at a late spring and then on to the autumn.”
Punters can follow Highvol’s Queensland campaign and bet on the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, J J Atkins, and future spring targets through Australia’s top betting sites.