News

Speediness misses out on Australian Guineas

4th Mar 2011

The Daily Telegraph - Michael Manley - Thursday, 3 March 2011

PAKENHAM trainer Colin Scott has decided to spell his promising three-year-old gelding Speediness after he missed out on a start in the race he had been set for, Saturday's $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

Twenty-one horses accepted for the Australian Guineas today and Speediness, the impressive last start-winner at Sandown Lakeside, was the horse to miss out.

"I'm really disappointed as I feel he would have run a great race in the Australian Guineas. It was the race I set him for and we almost got there,'' Scott said.

Scott said Speediness's unlucky defeat two starts ago when third at Sandown Hillside cost him a start in the race.

"If he had of won that he would have got in,'' he said.

Scott said he had toyed with the idea of pushing on to the Alister Clarke Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on March 20, but as there wasn't a suitable lead-up race for him he decided not to do so.

"This way he goes to the paddock as a happy horse. There's no point in doing anything as an afterthought.''

Scott will give Speediness a four-week break then bring him back over winter for a short preparation before setting him for the spring.

"I think he's a very good horse and I will set him for a couple of good races in the spring,'' he said.

Scott who also works as a horse breaker has only one horse in work.

Scott said owners were still fielding big offers from Hong Kong for the three-year-old gelding.

"At the moment they are saying no the offers but money can talk,'' Scott said.

He bought Speediness as a yearling for $18,000 and yesterday at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale he purchased another yearling when he paid $42,000 for a Flying Spur colt.

Picture: Bart Cummings & Michael Rodd after last years Australian Guineas won by Rock Classic