Siberian May Give Trainer Flemington Win
- Friday, 04 June 2010 06:15
Consistent galloper Siberian will be trying to give his trainer Grant Craven his first Flemington win in Saturday's Provincial Plate.
Craven is looking to capitalise on an encouraging start to his training career which began four months ago when he was promoted from assistant to head trainer of Bruce Cook's Riverend Park, a state-of-the-art training complex at Bangholme on the southeastern outskirts of Melbourne.
Already Craven's strike rate is better than 20 per cent with eight winners from 38 runners and his city record is an impressive two wins, three placings and a fourth from just six starters.
Akihito was Craven's first city winner under lights at Moonee Valley on April 1 and last Saturday Sandusky City scored at Morphettville.
At the same in Adelaide, Siberian was on trial over Saturday's distance of 1600 metres and finished a gallant 2-1/4 length fourth to Billy The Brat in the SA Thoroughbred Breeders Handicap on a slow track.
"I thought he had a few things against him last week at a mile the first time and on a wet track, but he did a good job," Craven said.
Trying to find firm ground for Siberian was the key and that the Provincial Plate had come at the right time for the gelding.
"He is a horse who has been a little bit maligned throughout his career but he just doesn't handle wet ground at all," Craven said.
"We took him to Adelaide for his last two starts looking for a dry track, but we probably erred slightly three weeks ago running him over 1250 metres instead of 1400 metres.
"He was posted deep but worked to the line really good to finish third and I was happy with him again last week, considering that the rain followed us over and the track got pretty sloppy."
Siberian has had top-four finishes at seven of his nine starts this campaign and Craven is confident that backing up this week won't be a problem.
Earlier in this campaign on a seven-day back up, Siberian showed his resilience when he followed a close second to Provincial Plate contender Sanrio at Sandown with a luckless third to Sleeque a week later.
"All things being equal, he probably should have won on the back-up that day as he knuckled at the start and was blocked for a run most of the straight, so it gives us a bit of confidence," Craven said.
Siberian is an on-pace runner and Craven said that race tactics would be no different on Saturday, despite being drawn out in barrier 14.
"Ideally racing over a mile at Flemington you'd like to box seat him but the barrier is probably not going to allow that so he will roll forward and sit outside the speed," Craven said.
"The horse is going well and with a firmish track I give him a good each-way chance."
