By Craig Kerry
Goulburn trainer Danny Williams was keen to get his two best horses that are in work – Highway Strip and Kreon – back on track for the Country Championships at Randwick on Saturday.
But after a luckless lead-in, Williams was looking to plan B with both.
Highway Strip, centre, carrying the maroon and purple colours, is run down by Sir Remlap late in the Highway Handicap at Randwick on December 28.Credit: Getty Images
Highway Strip was into a $2.90 Sportsbet favourite on Friday for the strong class 3 Highway Handicap (1200m) also featuring unbeaten Clear Thinking ($3.30). Highway Strip, though, was no certainty to start after a disrupted preparation and wide draw.
The Nicconi three-year-old was well fancied in an identical race at Randwick on December 28 after two Goulburn wins last preparation.
However, he raced keenly and was caught three wide without cover and then hung out badly on the turn. He still managed to the hit the lead, only for Sir Remlap to swoop and relegate him to second.
Highway Strip had a poor recovery and needed a veterinary clearance and trial before being allowed to race again. That process, though, has not gone smoothly, after the shocking fall of Blake Spriggs and Beany Panya at Moruya on January 17.
“We went to Moruya to barrier trial him, and obviously with the fall, he wasn’t able to trial,” Williams said.
“Then the stewards got him in at Warwick Farm to trial on the Monday, and that wasn’t ideal because it took a little bit out of him, the trips away.
“It’s taken him a few days to recover, so we’re still making a decision whether we run him from that bad gate. I don’t know where he’s going to find himself from gate 13 with the rail out seven metres.”
Williams said a benchmark 72 for three and four-year-olds the following week at Rosehill could be another option, “but that could be a big field, and it’s hard to say if he’d get a run”.
“We’d like to run him Saturday, that keeps him within the program we had set, where he has at least two or three runs before the Country Championships [heat on February 23 at Nowra],” he said.
“If he doesn’t run, we could find ourselves having only two runs, going to 1400. I think that’s fine, but I’d rather give him a bit more education.”
Highway Strip is a $15 chance for the $1 million Country Championships final in April. Kreon, $26 for the series, was also entered for Saturday’s Highway but looks set to race in the last, a benchmark 78 over 1200m, where he was $31.
“He’s fifth emergency in the Highway, which is disappointing because he’s drawn the outside barrier in the last,” Williams said.
“Our preference would be to run him from the softer gate in the Highway.”
Kreon was fifth first-up at Wyong on January 11 in an 1100m Highway after missing the start.
“He found himself in a precarious situation because he’s never been ridden that way,” Williams said.
“From there, he didn’t get around that track well, so I thought the run was full of merit. He steps up to the 1200 and given the way he raced the other day, I’m happy to ride him more conservative.”
Exit Fee ($17) will compete in the Highway for Williams. He raced outside the leader in Highway Strip’s runner-up effort and faded to finish 13th, but Williams expected a better run from gate one on Saturday.
“He went too hard the other day,” he said.
“[Jockey] Jay [Ford] said he ran through the bridle and wouldn’t settle. He was a sitting shot and capitulated badly, but he’s worked well since and hopefully with a quieter ride, he’ll finish off stronger.”
