If Oly’s Choice can kick off his upcoming campaign in the same blistering fashion as he finished his last, co-trainers Ben and Ben Pearce are in for an exciting ride.
Oly’s Choice ran two placings from his first five starts when he last campaigned and arguably could have gone closer if he had the element of luck required but came home like a steam train with wins at his next four appearances.
Forming a successful partnership with champion jockey, William Pike, Oly’s Choice found the elusive winning post at Ascot in April before displaying his versatility when leading all the way over 1650m at Belmont last June.
Ben Pearce believes Oly’s Choice only has to continue his upward trend and he’ll thrust himself into elite company at Ascot’s Pinnacles carnival later in the year.
“He’s a tricky little horse and it took time to work him out and for the jocks to work him out too,” Pearce said.
“Then he really found his form good and those last four runs were super and we couldn’t fault him.”
Pearce says Oly’s Choice has benefited from a winter spell, showing mental improvement and figuring out what’s required to be a racehorse in contrast to his previous preparations.
“He’s a lot more settled,” Pearce said.
“At the start of his last prep he was jacking up in his work and didn’t want to go out on the track.
“He was just showing a few signs of a horse that wasn’t 100 per cent happy in himself.
“Once he settled down and got into the swing of things he came into it good.”
In Railway Stakes future markets, Oly’s Choice is $15. Ahead of the six-year-old is Western Empire at $5, Zipaway $6, Tuvalu $9, Devoted and Alsephina $11 and Bustler $13.
In The Goldrush, Oly’s Choice is $17. Last year’s champion and eastern states raider, Munhamek and Western Empire share $5 favouritism.
Pearce says Ascot’s famous mile, the Group 1 Railway, shapes as good race for Oly’s Choice.
“He’ll look to head to the Railway,” Pearce said.
“He might have to look at a Peters to get a run with the way his rating is.
“He looks like a horse really suited to a Railway, where he’ll get pretty close to the minimum.”
After tearing through his grades, Pearce is confident Oly’s Choice can go to the next level and reach elite company.
“He’s a horse we have a lot of time for,” Pearce said.
“Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to recapture that form like it did last prep.
“But, we’re confident he can come back to that level.”