Lightning Stakes on the cards for Epic Centre
Mornington trainer Clayton Douglas will consider a trip to Adelaide for the final Stakes race of the season after Epic Centre scored a midweek win at Sandown.
The Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on Saturday week is an option for the three-year-old after Epic Centre registered his third win in his past five starts when taking out the Ladbroke It! Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday.
Ridden by Thomas Stockdale, Epic Centre ($5) held-off Clock Strikes ($6) with the $3.40 favourite Pereille back in third place.
Douglas said Epic Centre had been a slow developing galloper, but one that was also very fast.
“He’s always shown me a lot of ability,” Douglas said.
“He ran third in that Magic Millions race at Ballarat as a young horse and I thought he was really fast and precocious.
“But he went off the rails a little bit, and it took him a little while to come to hand, but he’s strengthened up a lot as a three-year-old, going on four, and is really fast.
“It was a good ride by Tommy. It was his first ride for me, so it’s a 100 per cent strike rate.”
Douglas said if he decided against a trip to Adelaide with Epic Centre, he was likely to give the sprinter a break and look to the summer sprints later in the year.
“I had him in the benchmark 78 up the straight at Flemington last Saturday but Najem Suhail probably would have been breathing down his neck the whole way and would have put too much pressure on us,” Douglas said.
“So, I’m just trying to build him along nicely.
“He could go to Adelaide next week or for a little breather now and come back for those summer sprints later in the year.
“I’ll probably throw a nomination in the Lightning Stakes over in Adelaide next week and just see what happens.”
While the campaign for Epic Centre may be drawing to a close, Douglas is excited with having Giga Kick back in his stable.
The Everest winner returned to his Mornington base just over a week ago to commence his campaign that will kick off at Moonee Valley in September.
“I’m jumping out of bed of a morning and I’m pretty excited to be seeing him every day,” Douglas said.
“He’s in great order and I can’t wait to unleash him.”
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