It is going on two-and-a-half years since former Singapore galloper The Inferno scored his solitary Australian victory.
After eight wins in Singapore from nine starts, including that country’s biggest sprint, the Lion City Cup, The Inferno came to Australia with great expectations.
It all went pear-shaped in The Inferno’s first Australian start at Caulfield before the gelding rebounded to win the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley in September 21.
That resulted in The Inferno running a close second in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) again at The Valley the following month which earned the gelding a berth in that year’s The Everest.
Times since have been lean for trainer Cliff Brown and the connections of The Inferno with the gelding placing just twice in 15 starts.
But Brown has not lost faith in the gelding and believes he is in a good space ahead of the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday, although the rain that fell earlier in the week was a little concern as is the gelding’s form at Caulfield.
The Victoria Handicap will be The Inferno’s second outing for the campaign after pleasing the trainer with his fifth behind Imperatriz in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at The ValleyWilliam Reid Stakes on March 23.
“Hopefully the track will be alright,” Brown said.
“I didn’t really want to see the rain earlier in the week, but Caulfield is a pretty good drying track, so hopefully it will be alright.
He’s in really good order. I thought his run was excellent first-up and the rise in distance should be good for him also.
“He’s drawn a good barrier to be ridden a bit closer, so hopefully he can turn around his form at Caulfield as his two runs there have been awful.
“I reckon in his first run there, his first in Australia, he wasn’t fit enough, and then in the Sir Rupert Clarke, he was terrible, and I can’t work out what went wrong.”
Brown said he would see how The Inferno performs on Saturday before making any further plans.
The Inferno has campaigned at the Carnivals in Adelaide and Brisbane in previous years.
“I just want to see how he goes as I think he’s going really well and then after Saturday we can reassess,” Brown said.
“I genuinely think he’s in a really good spot. It’s a good field, but I think he’s got a nice weight.
“He’s paid the penalty for that early win as they haven’t dropped him ratings points wise, but he has run in quite a few weight-for-age races and run well.”
