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| Staff Writer |
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Optimistically, Will Clarken believes now is the time to back up Ironclad on opposing ends of the country.
The imported gelding left for Perth and The Pinnacles' Gr.1 races today with a large group of horses from the eastern states.
Seven days after placing fourth in last week's Listed Cranbourne Cup, the son of Dubawi will compete in this weekend's $1.5 million Railway Stakes .
It's unconventional and brave to try to support him for seven days from Victoria to WA, but the race is there, Clarken added.
I'd say his confidence is as high as it's ever been right now, and that's when you can do anything with him. "He's very much a horse based on confidence.
I would say if he is ever going to cope with something as abstract as this, now is the time to attempt it, but we will take it one day at a time and pull him out if he looks a little bit mopey or his blood's not right or something by Friday.
After finishing third in the Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 29, Clarken was pleased with Saturday's effort under Ethan Brown and speculated that, with a clearer passage in the straight, he may have finished second to Uncle Bryn.
Both Ironclad and Beau Rossa, who are both in Clarken's stable, will be running in Saturday week's $1.5 million Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes, thus both horses were on the aircraft to Perth (1200m).
After finishing fourth in the Gr.3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby Day, Clarken was encouraged by a piece of work the Unencumbered five-year-old put in at Murray Bridge last week. He was defeated by less than 1-1/2 lengths by Argentia.
Beau Rossa's rider has not yet been announced, but Lachlan Niendorf will get a shot on Ironclad in the Gr.1 Railway Stakes due to the latter's weight (53kg).