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Warwick farm trainer Rick Worthington believes Whitefriars can return to best

22nd Jan 2013

Daily Telegraph - Shayne O'Cass - Tuesday, 22 January 2013

UNEARTHING that next good horse from among almost 500 others is like finding a needle in a haystack but Rick Worthington has done it before - twice.

The Warwick Farm-based trainer was back at the famous Newmarket sales complex at Randwick for the Inglis Classic Yearling which wound-up yesterday in search of another potential Whitefriars.

It was at this same sale six years ago that Worthington purchased the flashy son of Arena that would go on to win over $600,000.

"I was very impressed when I looked at Whitefriars at the sale," Worthington recalled.

"I thought he had amazing power behind and he a walk that was just very sexy. I just thought 'wow' and so I really, really wanted to get the horse."

Fast forward to the 2011 Inglis Classic and Worthington's expert eye zeroed in on a Danzero filly that would become Golden Sunshine, who remains unbeaten in her three starts to date.

With his sales mission now complete, Worthington is devoting all of his time to ensure comeback galloper Whitefriars marks the nearly two-year anniversary of his Australia Stakes triumph over Typhoon Tracy and Ortensia with a win in Friday night's Canterbury Classic.

It's been a long haul to get this far but something in the trainer's instinct tells him it will be worth it.

"I am of the opinion he can get back to his best, but he's got a few hurdles to overcome," Worthington said.

"There is no doubt he is an amazing horse. His will to win and his fortitude and courage is just incredible considering what he's been through.

"After two years off, it doesn't just happen in two minutes.

"Two jockeys have been on him this prep, Jimmy Cassidy and Peter Robl, and I've asked them the question if I am kidding myself or throwing the horse to the wolves and they both basically said the same thing - that he feels fantastic and that he feels as good as he did."

Whitefriars beat only two home in his long-awaited return to racing in the Razor Sharp on December 22, but Worthington was far from disappointed with the effort.

"I was actually quite pleased. If you look at the mathematics of it, they walked the first 600m in 36 and ran 33.1 the last 600m so it was a mathematical impossibility to expect anymore from him really," he said.

"It was a better run than it looked."

Since that run, Whitefriars turned in an outstanding trial at Warwick Farm last Tuesday morning, running slick time and hardly raising a sweat.

"It was impressive, we can kid ourselves and say it wasn't but it was. He's run 45.4 with his ears pricked and Peter (Robl) was suitably impressed, as I was.

"But we're not there yet," says Worthington.

Meanwhile, the trainer has scheduled a January 30 return to racing for boom filly Golden Sunshine at an ATC meeting at Gosford.

"She's still a little bit soft off the back of only the one trial so I am opting to run her over 1000m first start back.

"I'm happy with it and it's exciting to have her back and close to going to the races again."