By Neil Evans
Despite impeccable breeding, his two runs back from a long spell haven’t set turf tongues wagging, but a sparingly raced six-year-old is set to turn that around at the feature Kembla meeting on Tuesday.
Sidereal, a work-in-progress gelding in the Richard and Will Freedman camp at Rosehill, tackles another strong provincial Class1 Handicap over 1500m third-up.
And it’s a race that could go a long way to shaping the rest of his prep, and even a spring plan, with most runners having been in and around the recent money.
Sidereal hadn’t raced for 17 months when he resumed with a disappointing effort against similar opposition at this track five weeks ago. He was then given 19 days between runs before tackling a similar race at Hawkesbury, where he parked right behind the lead and fought on OK before fading over the final 100m.
But reaching peak fitness, and finally getting on to a firm surface, Sidereal gets his chance to rubber-stamp that potential that was on show as a young horse.
The UK-reared gelding is by Group 1 Epsom and Irish Derby winner Galileo, and out of a mare by Group 1 July Cup winner Oasis Dream. He was brought to Australia more than two years ago and had three spaced runs through the second half of 2021 up to Benchmark 72 metropolitan grade.
But after a close-up third at Warwick Farm three days before Christmas that year, problems set in, and it wasn’t until early this year when his career was finally put back on track.
In early May, Sidereal took everyone’s eye in the second of two trials, cruising home by more than two lengths at Hawkesbury. And if he ever needed a dose of that hidden ability, it’s now at Kembla, with comeback jockey Adam Hyeronimus the new pilot.
Big finishing three-year-olds Two Aye and Decimus loom as the hardest to beat, although last-start maiden winner Asva and consistent four-year-old Donegal Lights are also well in contention.
Supplied by Racing NSW
