Power Trip among 2016 McKenzie Stakes nominations

Power Trip appears to be over the bellyache that caused his scratching from the Vain Stakes at Caulfield.

The gelding has been nominated for the McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Power Trip will have a trot and canter on Tuesday morning and if he comes through that will gallop with his elder brother Beau Rada the following day.

If trainer John McArdle is happy with that work-out Power Trip will take his place in Saturday’s 1200m-race.

“We’re not exactly 100 per cent sure what was wrong with him,” McArdle said.

“He lost his appetite and just lay down.

“He didn’t get a temperature and his blood was always fine.

“He just seemed to have a sore gut, for a better way of describing it, but he’s past it now and seems to be all right.”

Power Trip was progressing nicely in his spring build-up before falling ill last week.

A debut winner over Blue Diamond runner-up Flying Artie at Flemington last spring, Power Trip ran competitively in Melbourne’s feature two-year-old races during the autumn.

Following a spell, Power Trip finished fourth to Viddora in the Lightning Stakes at Morphettville last month.

“He got a lot further back from the gate than we wanted to be,” McArdle said.

“He probably should have been the first two-year-old home.

“I was more than happy with how the horse was until he got mysteriously crook.”

McArdle is hoping Power Trip will stretch out in distance and has nominated him for next month’s Golden Rose at Rosehill and October’s Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate.

While Power Trip shapes as though he’ll get more ground, Beau Rada is an out-and-out sprinter and is entered for Saturday’s Carlyon Stakes (1000m).

“If you stood the two horses next to each other you wouldn’t know they’re brothers,” McArdle said.

 

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au

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