A lack of suitable lead-up races means the promising Honey Toast will take the step from 1600m to 2200m at Doomben.

Trainer Ben Currie believes Honey Toast can make a good stayer and had planned to take on open company over 2200m last Saturday.

“In the end I thought that we would have to keep him at 1600 metres. I felt to step up to open company from 1600 to 2200 might be asking too much,” Currie said.

“But anyway he raced like a stayer when fifth in the 1600-metre race last Saturday. I thought we might as well bite the bullet and see how we go over 2200 metres this Saturday.”

Honey Toast is top weight in the Austral Bricks Handicap (2240m) with apprentice Luke Dittman to claim 2kg.

Currie said he had been hamstrung by a lack of suitable lead-up races in an effort to get Honey Toast out to a middle distance.

“There just haven’t been the right 1800-metre or 2000-metre races around for him. It has been frustrating because in the shorter races he has been drawing badly as well,” Currie said.

Honey Toast, who has won five of his 13 starts, is beautifully bred being by champion sire Redoutes Choice out of the Group Three-winning mare Purde.

“He has the bloodlines and we have always felt he was up to winning a good staying race. He is the class runner on Saturday so even the outside barrier should not be a major handicap,” Currie said.

Currie did not accept for Saturday’s race with his other promising stayer Flying Lucky who has won his past three races at provincial tracks.

“I didn’t want them to clash and Flying Lucky will get his chance soon,” Currie said.

Article from justhorseracing.com.au