News

Whobegotyou gears up for spring

12th Jul 2010

*AAP Racing - Sunday, 11 July 2010 - Robert Windmill

Dual Group one winner Whobegotyou is back in training in preparation for the spring.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained four-year-old was given a few weeks to recover after he stripped flesh from a hind tendon when unplaced as favourite in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on June 12.

Stable manager Merv Harvey said Whobegotyou's injury had healed well and the Street Cry gelding had arrived from Queensland at Rockmount pre-training facility at Euroa to spend the next two weeks on the water walker.

"He arrived there on Thursday and he looks in really good order and the leg is fine," Harvey said.

"He will spend a couple of weeks on the water walker and then come to Flemington."

Harvey said Whobegotyou would follow a weight-for-age campaign in the spring but would be entered for all the major spring races including the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup.

He said Whobegotyou could resume as early as next month.

"It just depends on how he comes up but he is a pretty clean winded horse and has only had three weeks in the paddock.

"He won't take long to come to hand.

"The water walker gets them pretty fit and he will probably just need a couple of sharp hit outs on the track.

"The jury is still out whether he can stay but he will be entered for everything in the spring."

As a three-year-old Whobegotyou won the Group One Caulfield Guineas and was second in the Victoria Derby and last spring won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and the Group One Yalumba Stakes (2000m) at weight for age.

He started favourite in last year's Cox Plate but was a sore horse after finishing sixth to So You Think.

"He pulled up ordinary after the Cox Plate and had a few issues," Harvey said.

"He is a hard horse to place because he can't go on real hard tracks and can't go on real wet tracks."

Harvey said Whobegotyou's backmarker racing style also made it hard for him to show his best.

"With his style of racing it is always going to be hard because has got to make his own luck," Harvey said.

Kavanagh's leading spring hopes are already back in work at Flemington including Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, Shamoline Warrior, Sound Journey, Valentine Miss, Here De Angels, We're Gonna Rock, Definitely Ready, Cat's Pyjamas and Zantelagh.

"Most of them will be ready to have a jump out at the end of July and kick off at Caulfield on August 14," Harvey said.