The art of training is knowing the ability of your horses and where to place them to reap the rewards.
Lindsay Park has a pair of two-year-old fillies engaged in the Rod Johnson Handicap at Flemington on Saturday in the hope they will make it to a black-type race in coming weeks.
Unbeaten Chequerboard and Energy Within put their credentials on the line, aiming for a start in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final at Flemington on July 4.
“We’re using this race on Saturday to see if these fillies can go onto the Listed race and get a bit of black-type,” Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig said.
“We think they are more ‘now type of horses’ rather than spring carnival types so that’s why we’re pushing on into winter with them and then they might be summer, autumn types.”
Dabernig said Lindsay Park had also accepted with Energy Within in a race at Bendigo on Sunday, but preferred the Flemington option with showers forecast at the weekend.
“We’re leaning towards running at Flemington with Energy Within thinking we’ll get a better track,” Dabernig said.
“She’s had wet-track experience but did improve on a better track at Swan Hill.
“Her last 400 metres she finished off well and she seems to be heading in the right direction.”
Chequerboard is unbeaten in her two starts and has topweight for Saturday’s contest where she is handicapped to be giving weight away to the colts.
Lindsay Park has engaged apprentice Teo Nugent who will take 2kg off the filly’s 61kg impost.
After a debut win on the synthetic track at Pakenham, Chequerboard was successful on heavy ground at Sandown at her last start.
“She sits up on the pace so you would have to think she has a top three hope again with the way she is going,” Dabernig said.
