Feroce will bypass this Saturday’s $2.5 million Group 1 All-Star Mile at Flemington, but trainer Dom Sutton remains eager to test his stable star against elite competition.
Instead, the Australian Guineas winner will be aimed at the Victoria Racing Club’s premier autumn race, the $2.5 million Group 1 Australian Cup on March 29.
Sutton admitted that running in the All-Star Mile was tempting but decided against backing up the three-year-old just seven days after his peak performance, particularly against top-class rivals such as Mr Brightside, Another Wil, and Atishu.
“He’s fresh and sound, and we certainly considered the All-Star Mile, but we want to look after him with the Australian Cup in mind,” Sutton said.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked of him, and he’s not the type of horse I want to back up so soon, especially after the effort he put in on Saturday.
“If we manage him carefully, I’m confident he’ll reward us in the long run.”
Sutton is weighing up whether to give Feroce a lead-up run in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on March 15 or take him directly to the 2000m Australian Cup third-up.
History suggests the challenge will be formidable. The last three-year-old to win the Australian Cup was Super Cool in 2013, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famers Dulcify (1979) and Saintly (1996). Only four three-year-olds have contested the race since, with none finishing inside the top five.
Despite the odds, Sutton is confident that Feroce is better suited to tackling older horses on a good track than staying in his own age group on Sydney’s often rain-affected surfaces.
“Originally, the Rosehill Guineas was going to be his third-up target, but after his first-up run in the CS Hayes Stakes, Billy (Egan, jockey) said he struggled on the soft ground and had no traction at all,” Sutton said.
“With Sydney’s forecast looking wet, and it often being rain-affected this time of year, we’re re-evaluating our options and leaning towards staying in Melbourne.”
Sutton is confident Feroce will handle the step up in distance, pointing to his pedigree—by Super Seth out of Corinthia, a descendant of the legendary broodmare Eight Carat—and his training data.
“He’s already a top miler, but stepping up to 2000m is always a test, especially against weight-for-age company,” Sutton said.
“But the way he gallops at home, his recovery, and the data we’re seeing all suggest he’ll thrive over the distance.”