An infection ruled Perfect Thought out of his autumn carnival targets, but trainer John Sargent is hoping the promising colt can make up for lost time, starting in the Queensland Guineas.
Perfect Thought was slated to contest the major three-year-old races in Sydney but after missing his scheduled first-up assignment due to an elevated temperature, he came down with an infection and Sargent had little alternative but to send him back to the paddock.
When he did finally get to the races, Perfect Thought struck an unfavourable heavy track and finished with the backmarkers in the South Pacific Classic (1400m) on April 8.
Back on a firmer surface at Eagle Farm on Saturday, Sargent is expecting a major form turnaround.
“He had the first-up run and didn’t handle that track, but it has cleaned him up and he’s ready for Saturday,” Sargent said.
“Tim (Clark) galloped him on Tuesday over 1200 metres and he said he felt great and he ran very good time.
“He does it very easy, he’s a big, strong colt so let’s hope he produces on the racetrack again on Saturday.”
Perfect Thought is a second-up winner and is proven at the journey having claimed the Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington over 1600m last spring.
He does have to contend with an awkward draw in barrier 14 but Sargent says he has a versatile racing pattern and he is happy to put his trust in Clark to figure out tactics.
If Perfect Thought can bounce back in the Queensland Guineas (1600m), Sargent will consider taking on the older horses at weight-for-age, but he is lukewarm on pressing on to the Queensland Derby (2400m) for which the horse is a $15 chance.
“You never say never but that’s not the plan,” Sargent said of the Derby.
“If he happened to win on Saturday, he could go to one of the weight-for-age races against the older horses or he might just go out for a break as well and we’ll concentrate on the spring.
“We’ll leave it up in the air and decide after Saturday.”
Sydney trainers have a strong recent record in the Queensland Guineas winning 11 of the last 20 renewals, the past six in succession.