Sale trainer Perdon will have three starters — Starspangled Baby, Faberge Tzar and Dummy Spit — in Alice Springs on Saturday as preparations for the forthcoming Darwin Cup Carnival continue.
Perdon, 51, left Sale in eastern Victoria on Monday and stopped at Murray Bridge and Coober Pedy before arriving in the Red Centre on Wednesday afternoon.
Alice Springs received some 30mm of rain from the front that is currently crossing Australia, and subsequently Pioneer Park was closed for track work.
With rain easing on Friday and sunny weather tipped for Saturday, Perdon remains hopeful his trio will step out on Pioneer Park before the meeting this weekend.
“The plan was to come here to mainly try and get them acclimatised, and give them a run on a dirt-and-oil-based track,” he said.
“Then head to Darwin and give them a few weeks up there to acclimatise before they run again.
“Hopefully, it clears up and I can work them before Saturday’s program.
“Starspangled Baby, she’s heading hopefully to the Darwin Cup, and for Faberge Tzar, it’s the Guineas and Derby.
“Dummy Spit, just find the appropriate races where he can pay his way.
“It’s more like just giving them that experience on the dirt surface this weekend to see how they go.
“Come to Alice Springs first, a few days on the track, race them, give them a break, and take them to Darwin.
“Whether they’re good enough and measure up is the key — they’ve also got to handle the travel, the Darwin heat and Fannie Bay.”
Starspangled Bay, a six-year-old mare, features in the Pioneer Park Anniversary Cup (1400m) at BM76 level; Faberge Tzar, a three-year-old gelding, runs in a 1400m BM54; and Dummy Spit, a four-year-old gelding, starts in a 1100m Class 2.
Starspangled Baby won the Bairnsdale Cup (1600m) before finishing eighth in the Country Oaks (1950m) at Yarra Valley in March, while Faberge Tzar and Dummy Spit both raced twice during May.
Leading Darwin jockey Jarrod Todd, who rode for Perdon when he was based in Victoria, will partner the trio on Saturday.
“Jarrod actually rang me, he contacted me because we have history,” Perdon said.
“He’s also one of the better jockeys up here, so he’s the one to probably get.”
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