Maund Hesitates With Derby Winner
Tuesday, 15 August 2006: Toowoomba trainer Ron Maund is looking at the Warwick Stakes (1400m) and Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) as the early races to prepare Ice Chariot for what lies ahead in Melbourne.
The Warwick Stakes at Randwick on August 26 will feature the return of top spring candidates Eremein and Racing To Win.
The Chelmsford Stakes will be run at Randwick on September 9, a week later than its traditional date due to the decision to push back all the feature spring meetings in Sydney to fit better with the Melbourne carnival agenda.
Maund, who has enjoyed an amazing run of success this year, says the Sydney races will determine the path Ice Chariot takes in Melbourne.
He admits he has reservations about setting the four-year-old for the $5 million Melbourne Cup this year and may concentrate on the $3 million Caulfield Cup over 2400m.
"We might be a year ahead in thinking about the Melbourne Cup," Maund said.
"I'm going to take him down to Sydney and take it from there.
"He's never travelled away from home before and I'm just not certain how he will cope with a big trip and long campaign.
"If he isn't coping, I'll review our plans and may give him short breaks at a farm outside Sydney."
Ice Chariot emerged as an outstanding staying prospect with a surge of form through the Brisbane carnival that culminated with a powerful win in the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm in June.
His classic victory capped a great six months for Maund after he collected more than $1.3 million prizemoney from the performances of his top class fillies Gold Edition and Pure Energy at the Sydney and Brisbane carnivals.
The new season has started in the same vein after Maund produced Gold Edition for a brilliant first-up win in the $120,000 San Domenico Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Gold Edition and Pure Energy will remain in Sydney for the Princess Series of feature races for fillies that culminates with the Flight Stakes at Randwick in October.
Maund also has the talented Street Smart set to join his carnival team with Melbourne sprint races on her agenda.
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