After a solid start to his Australian racing career, Don Diego De Vega went off the boil during his most recent campaign, but co-trainer Rob Archibald believes the French import is primed for a strong return in Saturday’s Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill.
The five-year-old failed to place over the summer, leaving connections disappointed, though Archibald suspects firm ground played a role in his below-par performances. With a more suitable preparation and improved track conditions expected, there’s renewed optimism within the stable.
“He has probably got the most x-factor of all our runners,” Archibald said. “He’s a quirky horse, but he’s got a stack of ability. We were a little bit frustrated last prep that we didn’t get a bit more out of him, but we put it down to the ground and sometimes the Europeans just take that little bit of time to find their feet. But there is no excuse from our point of view. He is going into Saturday in good order.”
Shahzad, also representing the stable, arrives off a strong win on heavy going at the Gold Coast and is rated a $14 each-way chance. However, the slight drop in distance is a consideration as he transitions towards a longer assignment in a fortnight.
“We brought him back down here with a view to the mile-and-a-half race in two weeks’ time so he is probably looking for that little bit further now,” Archibald said. “It’s a good race and he’s slightly out of the handicap but we feel like he is a horse on the up.”
Rounding out the team’s representation in the Lord Mayors Cup are Sir Chartwell, Mormona and Double Cherry, with all three aimed at the Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on June 14.
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