Terry Robinson hasn’t given up on giving 2021 Kosciuszko winner Art Cadeau another shot at the $2 million feature, pending his performance in the Winter Stakes at Randwick.
The gelding has had a mixed preparation, making a solid return when finishing just over two lengths from Mnementh in the Town Plate at Wagga before consecutive unplaced runs at Randwick.
He had a particularly torrid passage in the Civic Stakes last start when he was caught wide before going forward to sit outside the leader, then was twice chequed in the straight and squeezed out of runs.
From a low draw in Saturday’s Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) and reunited with the last jockey to win on him in Kathy O’Hara, Robinson is keen to see if Art Cadeau can turn his form around.
“We forgave him that last run. He seems to have pulled up alright, so I think we’ll make a decision on him after Saturday,” Robinson said.
“He’s drawn a nice marble (barrier four), Kathy has ridden him before and won on him.
“Things just haven’t been panning out.”
If Art Cadeau can race his way into selection for The Kosciuszko (1200m), it will be his third consecutive appearance in the race after he captured it in 2021 then finished fifth to Front Page last year.
He was injured during last year’s renewal and Robinson says that setback has had them chasing their tails.
“I was really happy with him before the Kosciuszko last year and unfortunately he pulled up lame after that and we had a few issues,” he said.
“We had to give him a bit of time off to get over that and maybe he just hasn’t come up quite as sharp this time in.
“But we will be spelling him no matter what after this run on Saturday and then we’ll be working out what we do with him then.”
The Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) has attracted a full field of 14 plus three emergencies, led by the Civic Stakes trifecta of Ucalledit, King Of Hastings and Cisco Bay.
However, all three have drawn awkwardly in gates 13, 17 and 12 respectively with the early market support coming for the John O’Shea-trained Cotehele (barrier six), while Godolphin’s Brigantine (barrier nine) is also prominent.