Trainer Clayton Douglas is prepared to press on to Adelaide even with the unfavourable barrier for his new charge Mr Waterville.
The Irish-bred runner, formerly under the care of Chris Waller upon arrival in Australia, is bound for the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at Morphettville this Saturday.
Douglas views Saturday’s event as the last preparation gallop ahead of the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 9.
Mr Waterville has secured the outside stall in the field for Saturday, and Douglas noted that the gelding requires this run to gear up for the Adelaide Cup.
“Drawing 19 is not ideal but he’ll be in the middle to back-half of the field anyway and the 2600 (metres) should be ideal,” Douglas said.
“It’s a stepping stone to hopefully starting in the Adelaide Cup and he needs this grounding run to head there.
“The set-weights and penalties on Saturday makes it a suitable race.”
Douglas mentioned that the alternative fitting race for Mr Waterville’s Adelaide Cup lead-up was the 2500m event claimed by Berkeley Square at Flemington last Saturday, whereas the Listed Torney Cup (2500m) at Pakenham falls just three days earlier.
In his initial appearance under Douglas, Mr Waterville finished a strong-closing third in the Colac Cup (2000m) on February 6.
Having begun his racing life in Ireland under Aidan O’Brien with two victories from seven attempts, Mr Waterville failed to win in 20 starts for Waller, who still holds a stake in the gelding.
Douglas explained that Waller recommended trying the gelding at another stable, and via Rod Lyons, an owner of Nature Strip, Mr Waterville joined his stable.
“He’s done some schooling down here and that seems to have helped,” Douglas said.
“Maybe if he doesn’t perform well in his next couple of flat runs, we might see him in a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool during the carnival.”
Mr Waterville remains nominated for the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 11.
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