In many ways, it doesn’t really matter how Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) goes in Saturday’s Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m), merely getting back to the races is a triumph.
The New Zealand-bred gelding’s racing was in doubt after he was hospitalised following a spider bite last year.
But after an extensive rehabilitation process, the four-year-old is ready to resume and co-trainer Mick Kent Jnr is confident he can again become a feature-race force.
Mick Price’s training partner is not sure the son of Iffraaj will add to his record of five wins from seven starts this weekend, but couldn’t be happier with how he’s come up given what he went through.
“We didn’t quite know if we’d ever get him back to the same kind of form and I suppose we still won’t know until raceday, but the horse has thrived this preparation,” Kent Jnr said.
“He lightened off terribly after a long time in hospital and loads of antibiotics through his system, but we gave him a good long spell and a thorough build up.
“That leg where he got the spider bite has never given him any trouble and he’s moving as well as ever he’s moved.
“He’s more furnished, time was always going to be friend, and he’s certainly more carrying condition than he ever has before but he seems to be going super.”
Ayrton has drawn barrier two in the field of 16 and will be ridden by Jamie Kah and carry 54kg.
Streets Of Avalon, I Am Superman and Kissinallforcheeks head the field for the event that Kent Jnr hopes is a stepping stone towards a Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign.
“He’ll definitely take a lot from the run and that’s the idea, so whether he wins or not this weekend it’s a prep run to get him ready for the Queensland Carnival,” Kent Jnr said.
“The program we’ve mapped out is to go three weeks into the Hollindale Cup and then into the Doomben Cup.”
The Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) will be run at the Gold Coast on May 7 with the A$1m Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) a fortnight later.
