Darley Australia’s head trainer Peter Snowden has named the 2013 Stradbroke Handicap as a possible new season assignment for his evergreen seven-year-old Pinwheel after their brave effort in Perth’s Winterbottom Stakes last weekend.
Pinwheel is set to target the 2013 Stradbroke Handicap next winter
The Lonhro gelding resumed off a 55 day break, before which they ran seventh in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) in Melbourne, and put in a stellar effort to finish just a length away fourth to undefeated WA champion Barakey in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot.
Winner of the Group 3 Missile Stakes – Group 2 Warwick Stakes double back in August, Pinwheel will now be sent for a spell to prepare for an autumn – winter campaign in 2013.
Last Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival the million dollar earner had a two run raid on the sunshine state.
Their first effort was a credible eighth to smart young filly Sea Siren, who runs in the Hong Kong Sprint Sunday week, in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m).
They showed nice improvement next start however with Pinwheel beaten just two lengths when fourth to the Peter Moody-trained Mid Summer Music in Queensland’s richest race – the $1 million Group 1 AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm Racecourse.
Snowden is again hoping to target the Stradbroke Handicap, the next edition of which is set to run on June 8, in 2013 with Pinwheel who is set to resume racing in the $220,000 Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 25.
“Pinwheel will just have a couple of weeks off and I’ll kick him back off in the Group Two weight-for-age Australia Stakes in late January at this stage,” Snowden said.
The Stradbroke won’t be their only Group 1 aim next time in either with an earlier mission likely to be the $400,000 Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 9, 2013.
“Two weeks after that (the Australia Stakes) is the Group One C F Orr Stakes over 1400 metres,” Snowden added.
“It’s a Group 1 and it’s just a bit before everything is really wound up, and he’ll be in good order then.
“Then I’ll give him a breather and head towards the Stradbroke.”
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