AJC AUSTRALIAN Derby winner Fiumicino makes a much anticipated return in this weekend¿s Group I C F Orr Stakes but the John Hawkes stable has played down the prospect of a first-up win for the four-year-old at Caulfield.
Corey Brown tested Fiumicino as his Orr mount in a jump-out over 800 metres at Flemington and the gelding finished on terms with his more experienced stablemates Mentality and Coalesce.
But foreman Wayne Hawkes said not much should be read in to the trial which he described as an easy workout and routine for Hawkes-trained horses before they raced in Melbourne.
“Fiumicino is a good stayer in the making and we expect him to run well but he’s not wound up, that’s for sure,” Hawkes said.
“Since he won the Derby in Sydney last year he’s had one run in 10 months.”
Mentality, Fiumicino and Coalesce haven’t raced since they finished second, fourth and seventh respectively to Falaise over 1400 metres at Warwick Farm on September 8.
Hawkes said that while equine influenza (EI) didn’t completely flatten Fiumicino there was always the question of long term impact.
“There is really only one way to find out how it has affected them and that is to run them,” Hawkes said.
He said the stable had already sent some horses to the paddock because they didn’t come up this campaign.
“So long as he (Fiumicino) hits the line and runs well that will be like a victory,” Hawkes said.
“We will know then that he is over the EI.”
Hawkes said next month’s Group I Australian Cup (2000m) wasn’t a priority for Fiumicino, who has won three of his seven starts, and that he may even return to Sydney after the Orr.
“We will see he how he runs Saturday and see how he pulls up Sunday,” Hawkes said.
“The thing with those good horses is that they will quickly tell you how they are going.
“If he comes up and was low flying, a race back in Sydney like the The BMW (2400m) would be his ultimate autumn target but there is really only race on his agenda for the year and that’s the Melbourne Cup.
“He’s still growing, is a Derby winner who has had had seven starts, and being by Zabeel is only going to get better with age.”
Brown, who won last weekend’s Group I Lightning Stakes on Apache Cat, confirmed that he would ride Fiumicino in the 1400m Orr which has attracted 22 entries, including Coalesce.
Others featuring in the nominations are Caulfield Stakes winner Maldivian, Caulfield Cup placegetters Douro Valley and Princess Coup, Underwood Stakes winner Rubiscent, Mackinnon Stakes winner Sirmione, Emirates Stakes winners Valedictum and Tears I Cry, Fruit N Veg Stakes winner Niconero, Norman Robinson Stakes winner Pillar Of Hercules, as well as Masked Assassin, Shinzig and Gotta Have Heart.
Hawkes said Coalesce would most likely miss the Orr and run in the 1400-metre open handicap instead.
Meanwhile autumn race plans for 2006 Champagne Stakes winner Mentality, who ran second in both the Doncaster Handicap and George Ryder Stakes last autumn, were still undecided.
“He looks the best he’s ever looked but no race whatsoever has been programmed for him yet and he’s at least two weeks away,” Hawkes said.
“We not sure where he is heading and he might have no runs here (Melbourne).”
AAP