In Brief
- Brunton has to watch from afar.
- The Inevitable in Payne's care and raring to go.
- Trial sharpens up Silver Eagle winner.
Pint-sized Tasmanian galloper The Inevitable makes his long awaited return to racing at Flemington on Saturday but the man who has chartered his rise to the top from day one won’t be at the helm.
Tasmania’s premier trainer Scott Brunton has had to hand over the reins to Victorian mentor Patrick Payne for the duration of the gelding’s interstate campaign owing to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Brunton is unable to serve out a 14-day self-isolation requirement in Victoria due to family commitments at home and a need to care for over 50 horses at his Seven Mile Beach training complex.
“It’s not going to be easy watching from afar but it is what it is and I just hope he runs a nice race,” Brunton said.
“I’ll be with the horse in spirit on Saturday and I know he is in great hands with Patrick (Payne).”
The Inevitable will line up as top weight in the Ian Bayles DFC Handicap over 1000 metres (race 7) in which he was handicapped to carry 62kg but two kilogram-claiming apprentice Tahlia Hope has been booked to reduce the weight burden.
“Because of his high rating he was destined to big weights in open handicaps and for a little horse that’s not ideal.
“But he is very smart and he’s drawn a nice gate (barrier 2) so that’s something in his favour.”
The Inevitable came of age when he ventured to Sydney and scored an emphatic win in the inaugural $500,000 Silver Eagle over 1300m at Randwick in October last year but had his colours lowered in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle three weeks later.
He returned to Tasmania for a spell and Brunton set him for a first-up tilt in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap over 1200m at Flemington early last month in which he finished eighth of 11 and beaten just over five lengths.
“He sustained an injury to his hind leg in the Newmarket, so we brought him home to recover and when we sent him to Patrick he was spot-on.
“Patrick sharpened him up for this run with a jump-out at Kyneton earlier this week and from all reports he should go into Saturday’s race in great order.”