Julius Sandhu was as surprised as anyone about the recent long-priced win of Jayrod Too at Sandown.
The combination of Sandhu, Jayrod Too and Craig Newitt are back at Sandown on Saturday to contest the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap (2400m) after a last start win over the 2100m course.
Jayrod Roo went around at $61 last startr, but on Saturday is a $7 chance with TAB.
“He surprised me as I thought he was one run early to the trip, but on the otherside, I did say to Craig, he had been in work for a long time,” Sandhu said.
“We just hadn’t been able to get the races into him as he doesn’t handle wet tracks. If I had raced him on those tracks, he doesn’t run well, but he also pulls-up horribly.
“He had done plenty of work, but there is work and then there is racing, so to step him up to 2100 metres on a track with an incline coming home, I said to Craig, he will give them a fright to maybe the 50 metres, but something will get him.
“But credit to the horse and Craig, he gave him a peach of a ride and you put those things together, yes it was a surprise, but not so much as is impossible to happen.”
Sandhu said the rise to 2400m on Saturday creates another problem for the trainer.
Jarod Too has not been successful at the trip previously but added the stayer has raced only once beyond 2200m, being over 3000m at Mornington.
“He’s come though his last run great and he was always going to take some improvement out of it,” Sandhu said.
“The positive is that it’s not a big field. He’s got 55-½ kilos on his back, so weight will not be weighing him down.
“Froggy (Newitt) is on him again and if I am right that he has taken a fair amount of improvement from his last start, he’s going to get his chance to run it out.”