It hasn’t been the easiest road for Deltason, but trainer Meryl Hayley is optimistic that it could all end on a high when her progressive youngster lines up in the last major two-year-old feature of the season at Ascot this Saturday.
The gelding was scratched late from the Perth Stakes (1100m) and then narrowly missed the cut for the Karrakatta Plate (1200m) based on prize money. However, he gets his chance to shine in the Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
Deltason heads into Saturday’s assignment off a strong maiden win on April 30, where he burst away over 1400m to score by 3¼ lengths, validating the stable’s belief that he needs further than the 1000m trips he began with.
“We were really looking forward to the 1400m,” Hayley told Tabradio.
“Like everyone else we knew he would get the trip and it was good to get him across the line to be honest.
“We were just praying there were no more barrier disasters with the horse.
“He’s been to the races a couple of times and not managed to get around.
“Every time he goes in the gates and comes out of them, we’re happy.
“Obviously we earmarked the Karrakatta and Sires with him but we just dipped out not having that run in the Perth Stakes.
“We’ll never know and it’s upwards and onwards, we just had to change tack through the prep and take a different route, and we still made it.”
Deltason drew barrier seven in a field of nine for the Sires, which Hayley says isn’t a major concern.
“He’ll obviously settle a couple of pairs back like he did last start and hopefully be hitting the line,” she said.
“He’s fit as a fiddle and it’s a matter of keeping him mentally happy.”
Laqdar Ramoly, who was third on Kosta’s Crown in the 2022 edition of the Sires, retains the ride on Deltason and is expected to be a key part of the horse’s progression into the spring.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Hayley is already looking ahead to the three-year-old season with Deltason, earmarking the WA Guineas (1600m) as a major spring target.
“Oh, absolutely,” Hayley said.
“Even Laqdar says the further the better.
“He’s such a quiet horse that settles really well.
“He’s never been flighty or over races.
“After Saturday he’ll go for a long break, and we’ll bring him back for some of the feature races as a three-year-old.”
As for his rivals this weekend, Hayley identifies Just Too Fly—runner-up in both the Perth Stakes and Karrakatta Plate—and Fila Mia as the two main threats to Deltason’s chances in the Sires.
