Trainer Richard Litt admits he might have been a bit soft on his Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo in a forgettable autumn campaign, so he put some new obstacles in front of him – literally – to toughen him up.
Profondo won the stallion-making group 1 at his third start, living up to his Magic Millions sale-topping price tag, but Litt says “he might have been mollycoddled” after that.
The $1.9 million son of Japanese sire sensation Deep Impact was like a lost soul in the autumn rather than a stallion in the making. He was unplaced in two starts, after which Litt sent him for some tough love.
Profondo wins the Spring Champion Stakes last year.Credit:Getty
“There were a few things against him in the autumn, including the very wet tracks, but he was a stable favourite because of who he was,” Litt said.
“He is the best athlete I have had, and one of the most intelligent horses I have had, and he just got things his own way.
“We sent him out to Fernhill to do equestrian work, and they didn’t know who he was or what he is worth, and he worked hard and it has made him.
“He did some showjumping, and when you have a fence in front you have to jump it.
“He did dressage and loved showing off with the flying changes and did a lot of figure-eight work, and it switched him on.
“There are horses that like routine, but he likes to be challenged and really likes doing that equestrian stuff. He drops and extends his head when he does that work, and it has made him a better racehorse.
“He can get a little fiery still but there’s more control, which allows him to show his best.
“He came back in the stable and was the horse we thought we had, and he showed it first up in the Winx Stakes.”
Profondo was third to Anamoe in the Winx and has to keep stepping up to match Litt’s confidence. The quietly spoken trainer’s voice no longer trails off when he talks of his star.
There is an underlying belief in Litt as Profondo prepares to take on Zaaki in Saturday’s Tramway Stakes. He has kept him at the 1400m of the Winx when many believed he would step up to the 1600m of the Chelmsford Stakes on the same program.
“We have goals with him, and the 1400m works better for him to get races like the George Main Stakes, Turnbull and Cox Plate.”
Those are races Litt used to deflect questions about when asked. He knows they are in play later in the spring, but Profondo still has to show why at Randwick on Saturday, where Brenton Avdulla will again be in the saddle.
“He has just tightened up from that Winx run and Brenton has been very happy with him,” Litt said.
“You have to remember he has only had six starts but there is already no place for him to hide. But we want to test him against the Anamoes and Zaakis.”
Zaaki won the Tramway 12 months ago in dominant fashion, and betting suggests he will go back to back in the group 2. The eight-year-old has been backed from $2.30 to $1.75, while Profondo and two-time group 1 winner Converge are the second line of betting at $7.
Zaaki’s trainer, Annabel Neasham, has respect for the opposition and said the return run would help bring her star to his peak for the same program of races as Profondo.
“For us it is a starting point for Zaaki. It’s hard to have them fully wound up for every run, and our main aim is for him peaking fourth up [in the Cox Plate],” Neasham said.
“He has got a little bit of improvement to come. He’s not 100 per cent fit going into it, but it’s no different to last year or any other preparation.”
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