Strada off for a spell

Perth Turf Talk | Metropolitan Racing | Tue 10 September, 2013

Trainer David Harrison has provided his peers with genuine hope after deciding to spell boom sprinter Settle Strada following his placing in Saturday's Listed Farnley Stakes (1400m) at Belmont Park.

With Settle Strada out of the equation, rival trainers are now looking forward to tomorrow week's $130,000 Hannan's Handicap (1400m) at Kalgoorlie.

Harrison said his in-form galloper would have a month's break before being aimed at the rich Ascot weight-for-age sprints - the Group 3 $125,000 Prince Of Wales Stakes (1200m), Group 2 $250,000 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 $125,000 AJ Scahill Stakes (1400m).

Forced to carry equal topweight of 59kg on the weekend, Settle Strada suffered his first defeat in five Belmont starts this campaign when he was overhauled by Kalahaar (54kg).

"He should benefit from a spell and come back in a month for those weight-for-age races at Ascot," Harrison said.

"My only question is whether he will handle the track.

"He didn't at his last campaign there."

Kalahaar (93) was penalised six points for his maiden stakes win and may end up at the head of the weights in the Hannan's due to Vermeer (94) being in the spelling paddock as he recovers from a hoof bruise, and Reimbursement (98) unlikely to travel to the Goldfields after failing to find form.

The scenario of confronting weaker than expected opposition has encouraged trainer Simon Miller to consider throwing Ron's Call in the deep end and have a crack at the feature sprint.

"I know he is going to get slugged a heap of points if he wins," Miller said. "At the moment the horse's psychology is right and it is worth having a throw at the stumps.

"I will put him in a 1400m race at Belmont on Saturday and weigh up his work during the week."

Ron's Call loomed as a star as a three-year-old when he strung together four consecutive wins, before suffering heat stress when he was unplaced behind King Saul as a $1.80 favourite in the 2011 WA Guineas (1600m).

The son of Magic Albert worked home strongly behind stablemate So Symbolic on a slow track last Saturday week over 1200m.

The West

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