Well-bred French import Orator is ready for his Australian debut at Caulfield on Wednesday.
The five-year-old son of Galileo lines up in the final event, the Heading Out Hair & Beauty Handicap (1600m).
Orator, who arrived in Australia with the first shipment of international gallopers for the spring carnival on September 27, cleared quarantine at Werribee on Saturday and headed to the stables of trainer David Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
Hayes said Orator had been working well at Werribee but said it was a bit of guesswork as to how the horse would perform once he cleared quarantine.
“I was happy with the way he settled in,” Hayes said.
“I went down to Werribee three times and watched him work from over the fence and I didn’t mind what I saw.”
Hayes said the decision to send Orator to the Flemington stables, rather than to take him to the farm at Euroa, was made due to the closeness of the race on Wednesday.
“He cleared quarantine on Saturday and with the race so close we sent him to the Flemington stable,” Hayes said.
Hayes, who shares in the ownership of Orator, said the entire, a stakes winner in France, was bought with thoughts of him being a middle distance horse in Australia and later standing at stud.
“He’s got a nice stallion’s pedigree,” Hayes said.
“If he could win a Group One race then I’m sure that would enhance his value.”