Tom Dabernig, the trainer from Warrnambool, is looking forward to Oliveanotherday’s return to Caulfield for this Sunday’s Manikato Stakes. However, the trainer has acknowledged a minor concern ahead of the four-year-old’s first Group 1 start.
The gelding is heading into the $2 million race after his least successful outing, finishing fifth in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington on September 12. The main reason identified for this performance was his initial exposure to racing down the straight.
Dabernig has suggested that an additional factor might have played a role, which Oliveanotherday could potentially face again this weekend in the 1200-metre weight-for-age event.
“I think it was just a case of straight first time and Good 3 track,” Dabernig said.
“I’m not totally blaming the Good 3, but I’m sure that he’s best runs for me have been on softer going.”
He elaborated, “He’s been very good here at Caulfield, so I’m just hoping that back at Caulfield he’ll accelerate off the bend and third-up be better than he was second-up.”
“He was only beaten 1.6 lengths and the winner came from the inside, the horses in the centre didn’t figure too much, so it might have been a combination of things.”
“But, I must admit, a Good 3 track would be my concern.”
Oliveanotherday has an impressive record of six wins from his nine career starts, with two of these victories occurring on Good 4 tracks. The Bobbie Lewis Quality was his inaugural race on a Good 3 surface.
Caulfield, a track where Oliveanotherday has won twice on the main course and once on the Heath track, was upgraded to a Good 3 during last Saturday’s race meeting. Dabernig is hoping for the predicted light showers on Saturday to materialise, following warm temperatures on Thursday and Friday.
Although disappointed that Oliveanotherday’s five-race winning streak was halted at Flemington, Dabernig is optimistic that the experience against seasoned sprinters will benefit him prior to facing established Group 1 competitors, including Beiwacht, Jimmysstar, and Giga Kick this weekend.
“The winner of that race has win six times down the straight and they’re all six and seven-year-olds and we’re only a four-year-old and only lightly-raced,” Dabernig stated.
“So, we were inexperienced and there were all those other factors there, so when you reflect on it all, there were probably reasons (for the result).”
The final line-up for the Manikato Stakes, as well as other races on the program such as Pride Of Jenni’s attempt for a third successive win in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes, will be confirmed on Wednesday morning. Consider the available Australian betting sites for the upcoming racing action.