Trainer Dominic Sutton faces a strategic choice with Feroce as the Australian Guineas at Flemington approaches. The Caulfield Guineas runner-up is slated for just one preparatory race before the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in March. This run could either be in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8, or the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington a week later.

“He’s better performed at Caulfield, but the Group 1 is at Flemington,” Sutton noted. “I think the more exposure we can give him at Flemington would be better leading into a Group 1 race, but he seems to be furnishing.”

Sutton recently trialed Feroce over 1200 meters in Geelong, opting for the longer distance to prepare for the 1400-meter challenge. “I wanted him to have a nice, strong piece of work this morning and he was excellent,” Sutton said, reflecting on the trial where jockey Billy Egan noted Feroce’s maturity and improved handling.

Post-spring, Feroce took only a brief break before resuming training. “I wanted to give him plenty of time to have him ready for the Guineas second-up,” explained Sutton. The decision now lies between starting at Caulfield soon or waiting another week for the Flemington event.

Now settled into new facilities at Flemington after beginning the season in Ballarat, Sutton is optimistic about Feroce’s prospects, possibly even securing a practice run on the main track before the Guineas.