Incentivise’s level of involvement in this year’s Spring Carnival could become clearer from this week with Peter Moody set to increase his workload.
Last year’s Caulfield Cup winner will be given a gallop at Pakenham as his slow build-up from the injury sustained in last year’s Melbourne Cup continues.
Moody has been thrilled with the way the son of Shamus Award has coped with what has been asked of him to this point and said he has been dealing with a much more robust model.
“He is probably ready to start having a gallop next week,” Moody said late last week.
“He’s done a lot of groundwork and he looks in great condition. He’s actually thickened up and it will surprise people when they see him because he was always a big coat-rack but he’s really thickened and strengthened up.”
Incentivise was last year’s fairtyale story, pulling together a nine-race winning streak that started with a Sunshine Coast maiden on April 11 and culminated with a 3-1/2-length romp in the Caulfield Cup.
He then started $2.90 favourite in the Melbourne Cup but finished second to Verry Elleegant despite emerging from the race with a suspensory injury.
How the rising six-year-old adapts to his workload being increased will determine when he is first seen in spring.
Moody is hopeful he will be right to defend his Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) crown at Flemington in early September but said no risks would be taken with the gelding.
“When we do pick up his workload, and as long as his legs stay in good order, which they are at the moment, and he stays happy, healthy and sound then the owners have given me an open book,” Moody said.
“There is no pressure to run him in this spring. If I thought he was going to need more time, they said don’t hesitate to stop, so we’ll just play it by ear.”