Carbine Club Stakes (1400m) winner Minsk Moment will look for more blacktype success in next month’s $1.5 million TABtouch-Gold Rush.
The four-year-old made a winning start for new trainer Adam Durrant in Saturday’s $125,000 feature and emerged as a key contender for the main event on the final day of the inaugural Pinnacles.
Durrant said Minsk Moment, who was formerly under the care of Chris Waller, had made a big impression during the short time in the stable.
“He travelled over well,” Durrant told TABradio.
“He didn’t turn a hair and has eaten up fantastic since he arrived.
“It was hard to get a real good guide because we didn’t do any fast work.
“We just had him at the beach.
“The horse was really strong through the line.”
The son of I Am Invincible holds a nomination in this Saturday’s Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), as well as the Gold Rush on December 10.
Durrant said while the short-term goal was the Gold Rush, he was excited with what could be in store beyond that.
“The plan was always to try and win as much blacktype with him and get him to the elite level,” he said.
“Now we will head towards the Gold Rush.
“We will see how he gets through that.
“There’s always the option we could go back to Sydney.
“We could even look at a scenario of getting him fit here and then putting him on the plane and let Chris (Waller) put the finishing touches on him.”
Meanwhile, Durrant indicated he would like to press on Saturday week’s Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) with Treasured Star.
The mare hit the line strongly to finish sixth in Saturday’s Railway Stakes (1600m) behind Trix Of The Trade.
Durrant said the four-year-old would be competitive in the Northerly Stakes and could also feature in the Gold Rush.
“I’m very happy with her run and how she’s pulled up,” Durrant said.
“My preference would be going forward to the 1800.
“She might even go to the beach for a week and back up into the 1400.
“Hopefully we can get her to turn up in the condition she did on Saturday, I think she will give them a big shake.”
Durrant will also saddle up Stageman in this week’s Winterbottom Stakes.