Trainer Cliff Brown is looking forward to again seeing The Inferno racing on a firm track when the gelding resumes in the Moir Stakes.
Friday night’s Group 1 sprint over 1000m at Moonee Valley will be The Inferno’s third shot at the race.
The Inferno finished a fast closing second to Wild Ruler on a good track in 2021 before beating just one home on soft ground last year.
In finishing second two years ago, The Inferno earned himself a tilt at The Everest, but finished third last, again on soft ground.
The Inferno was one of Singapore’s leading gallopers before Brown called time on his time at Kranji and the sprinter returned with the trainer to win at his second start in Australia in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes in September 2021.
The gelding has been winless since, and placed just three time in 13 starts, the most recent in the Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington in April.
Brown campaigned The Inferno in Brisbane during the winter, and importantly was able to spell the gelding in Queensland before bringing him home to commence his latest campaign.
The trainer believes the sprinter is in the best shape he has been for a long time.
“He spelled up in Queensland and did some work up there with Barry Lockwood before coming back down here,” Brown said.
“He had a few weeks off after his last run up there and probably did around three weeks pre-training in the good weather.”
The Inferno last raced at Eagle Farm in June and while his latest break was not as long as the one he had after a campaign last spring, what it did shown Brown was the gelding needs good tracks.
“He ran really well on those tracks up there and the day at Mornington, which was upgraded to a good three, he ran well.
“If he doesn’t get those firm tracks, he doesn’t compete like he can do.
“I reckon he’s going as well as he’s ever gone at the moment, but whether he is up to them, I don’t know, but so long as the speed is on, and he finishes off, that will be great.”
Brown is planning to head to the Group 1 Manikato Stakes on Cox Plate Day after Friday night’s outing.
“We’ll see he goes in those two races and then make a decision where we go after that,” Brown said.
“But he’s working well, he looks well and is in a really good spot.”
