This time last week Matthew Sayers was confident he had a horse who might start favourite in the $175,000 Listed Taj Rossi Series Final at Flemington.
Bolted In, the most exciting horse in Sayers’ Murray Bridge stable, had finished third behind Steparty and Blazing Harry at Flemington and with those two thought to be going to the paddock, it stood to reason that Bolted In would be hard to beat in the 1600-metre event at Flemington.
But Paul Preusker announced late last week that the Taj Rossi Final was back on the agenda for Steparty, which renders Bolted In an unlikely runner.
Sayers has nominated Bolted In for Flemington, but also entered him at Murray Bridge for a two-year-old that carries a $55,225 winner’s cheque. Second prize in the Taj Rossi Final is $31,500.
“We thought we’d put the nom in (at Flemington) just to cross everything and make sure, but we’ve also nommed for the SA Rewards race at Murray Bridge,” Sayers said.
“If Steparty was to have gone to the paddock, with Blazing Harry also in the paddock, we might have looked to come over but it’s a $100,000 race at Murray Bridge and he doesn’t have to travel.”
Bolted In was beaten 4-3/4 lengths by Steparty at Flemington, having won two of his previous three starts in South Australia.
Saturday’s Murray Bridge race is 400m shorter than the Taj Rossi Series Final but Sayers is confident Bolted In will run well in whatever race he contests owing to how well be handled his trip to Victoria.
“He’s back to 1200, but he freshened up well,” Sayers said.
“He handled himself really well in Victoria, he hasn’t left any feed since he was over there, Jess Eaton does all his riding and she said he’s as bright as he normally is, so we probably go into Saturday with some confidence in him.”
Bolted In will have a brief break after this weekend with Sayers keen to turn his attention to the Melbourne spring,
“We won’t go any further than Saturday’s run, which then that gives us a bit of time to go out and get him ready,” Sayers said.
“Once he fills out and matures a little bit, I think he’ll be a lovely miler.”