Winning a Group 1 race at your third start sets the bar high and Richard Litt is the first t admit Profondo hasn’t yet delivered on his early promise.
But he hasn’t given up on the 2021 Spring Champion Stakes winner and is bullish about his autumn carnival prospects if the tracks stay dry.
The four-year-old has an aversion to rain-affected ground but has found himself competing on little else for the past 12 months.
He has shown glimpses of his best, highlighted by a third behind Anamoe and Fangirl on soft 5 conditions in last year’s Winx Stakes (1400m), but overall Litt rated the horse’s spring as “disappointing”.
“He is loaded with ability, moreso than any horse I will probably ever touch again and he really deserves things to go his way now,” said Litt, who also put the polish on dual Group 1 winner Castelvecchio.
“Wet tracks and maybe wrong races, a few different things haven’t gone his way and he cops a lot of flak about it but hopefully this preparation I can do him justice, point him in the right direction and he can come to the fore.”
Profondo will resume in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday, the lowest grade of race he has contested since he was runner-up in the Gloaming Stakes at his second start.
Litt is seeing positive signs from the horse at home and is banking on the Randwick track continuing to dry out from its soft 6 rating to give Profondo an opportunity to show his wares.
“I’m excited to see how he goes and I’m confident he will do us proud. It could be the start of a big preparation for him hopefully,” Litt said.
“He’s only been out of Group One company once or twice and that was when he broke his maiden.
“It’s nice to get him down in grade a little bit. Even though there are some nice horses in there, it’s hopefully not going to be a hugely high-pressure race for him and we can get him back on track.
“I’m very happy and comfortable with the position he’s in at this stage of his preparation.”
Profondo has had early backing and is in from $9 to $6.50 while emerging sprinter Think About It remains top pick at $3.50, just ahead of Godolphin’s Gravina ($4.60)