Top WA trainer Neville Parnham says in-form sprinter Excelorada will definitely travel to Melbourne but the gelding will miss Saturday’s Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.
Excelorada has developed into one of the west’s most talented sprinters this season with wins in six of his eight 2012/13 runs, taking his record to an imposing 10 victories from 18 outings.
The son of Exceed And Excel recorded strong wins at Listed level during his two summer carnival runs in Perth but Parnham said there is nothing suitable for the gelding in his home town, which is the reason for his Victorian visit.
However, Parnham said the hot and humid weather forecast for Melbourne later in the week was the reason he decided to delay Excelorada’s trip across the Nullarbor Plain until next week.
“I was all set to go that way but I’m just not 100 percent happy with going this week,” Parnham said. “There are some very hot days and very humid days forecast so I just preferred to hang on to him here for another week or so.”
Parnham said Excelorada would probably make his Victorian debut in the Listed WJ Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 2 but the run would not be a test for the Group I Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at the same track three weeks later.
“There’s the Adams and then the Rubiton the week after or something like that,” Parnham said.
“I don’t think he is to the Oakleigh Plate quality of horse, to be honest.
“I was just looking at a couple of the minor races in Melbourne because there is just nothing in Perth for him until July. He’s a five-year-old gelding so I just thought I’d give him a crack at Melbourne races and see if he is up to it.”
Parnham said Excelorada would make the trip to Melbourne on his own as stablemates such as Playing God and God Has Spoken remain in the spelling paddock after their Perth summer carnival exertions.
Brad Waters
www.racenet.com.au