Louvre Picture-perfect Ahead Of Sprint
- Wednesday, 25 March 2015 07:31
In-form sprinter Under The Louvre will head to Mornington for a Listed race instead of tackling Group One company at Moonee Valley a day earlier.
The Oakleigh Plate placegetter will contest the Hareeba Stakes (1200m) on Saturday after connections opted not to accept for the weight-for-age William Reid Stakes over the same distance on Friday night.
Under The Louvre finished second to Royal Ascot-bound stablemate Shamal Wind first-up in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on February 28 and has been kept race trim since then with two barrier trials.
The horse looked sharp in his most recent heat when he was ridden by Mark Zahra, who has the mount on Saturday.
Under The Louvre was not pressured in the 990m trial which he won in 59.19sec, the fastest of Monday's four heats over that trip.
Trainer Robert Smerdon said it was always his intention to run Under The Louvre in the Hareeba Stakes but he put in an entry for the William Reid in case the field fell away.
Smerdon, who has been in the NSW Hunter Valley inspecting yearlings in the lead-up to the Easter Sale in Sydney next month, said he had watched a replay of Under The Louvre's recent trial win and was impressed by the performance.
"His trial on Monday was a good, solid gallop for him," Smerdon said.
"The plan was to be soft to the turn and then let him stride home in the straight.
"He's fit and going well. He should bounce off that and be fine for the Hareeba on Saturday."
Smerdon says Under The Louvre's target following the Hareeba Stakes will be the Group One Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 16 which is run under set weights and penalties conditions.
Under The Louvre has drawn barrier 10 in Saturday's 17-horse field which includes two emergencies.
The four-year-old has raced at Mornington once before posting a win in a benchmark event over 1200m in February last year.
