Instead of racing in Hong Kong as a gelding, Petrology will be shooting for a Group One victory in the C F Orr Stakes to enhance his future at stud.
A Fastnet Rock three-quarter brother to Group One winner Aqua D’Amore, three-year-old Petrology started to put it all together late in the 2014 spring carnival.
He won a Listed race at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week and then after his dominant win in the Group Two Sandown Guineas, thoughts of gelding him were abandoned.
Petrology was under offer from Hong Kong interests after his Flemington stakes win but the sale fell through.
“He was actually sold the night of that race to Hong Kong for $850,000 which is a lot of money by any standards and he was going to get gelded,” trainer and part-owner David Hayes said.
“But luckily the Jockey Club in Hong Kong said his rating wasn’t high enough for a replacement permit, and here we are now.
“There’s been much larger offers rejected, so we feel that if he can pop up in one of these Group Ones in the next few weeks, especially over 1400 metres or a mile which is what the breeders desire, he could be worth a lot of money.”
Petrology, who ran home strongly for second in the Manfred Stakes first-up, is one of two chances for the training partnership of Hayes and his nephew Tom Dabernig in Saturday’s weight-for-age feature at Caulfield.
Import Spillway was narrowly beaten over the course and distance first-up last spring and is expected to run well.
“Spillway has drawn barrier one and has a good record fresh. He’s being set for the Australian Cup but if he gets a good run I’m sure he’s going to run well,” Hayes said.
“Petrology is being set for the Australian Guineas. He’s got a bit of an awkward gate but probably you would think he might be slightly better poised off a good run at Sandown to win at 1400 metres.”
Spillway is also still an entire so a Group One win by either horse would be valuable for their futures.
“The race is worth $400,000 but it’s actually worth a lot more than that,” Hayes said.
Article from justhorseracing.com.au
