FULL Peal will use today’s $100,000 open handicap at Caulfield as a stepping stone to the Hobart and Launceston cups in February, according to his trainer Symon Wilde.
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The six-year-old is rated an 8-1 chance in the 1600-metre race, which sees the David Hayes-trained Spacecraft as favourite.
Wilde said Full Peal had recovered from a slight blood disorder which saw the horse scratched from a race at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago.
“His blood was slightly out at the Valley. We decided to scratch him as we didn’t want to flatten the horse,” the Warrnambool trainer, who trains in partnership with his dad Bill, said.
“He’s feeling really good. We expect him to run well today.
“He’s a pretty handy galloper.”
The $225,000 Hobart Cup (2400m) will be run on February 10 and the $225,000 Launceston Cup (2400m) is set down for February 27.
Wilde said both races appeared to be ideal for Full Peal, but connections would be guided by his Caulfield run today.
“If we don’t go to Tasmania with him, we’ll look for other suitable races for him in Melbourne or the country over the next few months,” he said.
Fellow Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams has decided to scratch his three-year-old filly East Star, which was entered in an $80,000 fillies race over 1100m at Caulfield today.
Williams said he preferred to run East Star in a $35,000 fillies race at Moonee Valley on December 20.