Weir's big guns fire early but plenty more to come when spring hots up
Although Saturday was a red letter day for leading rider Damian Lane, who booted home four winners at Caulfield, there was a downside.
The suspension he incurred for causing interference aboard Humidor in the Memsie Stakes will cost him the ride on one of the most exciting sprinters in the country, Nature Strip, at Moonee Valley next Saturday.
The move that earned Lane his 10-day ban might have made the difference between winning and losing in the $1 million Memsie, the first Group 1 race of the season, so at least the percentage he earns from that misdemeanour will keep the wolf from the door for the time he is out.
But it will mean that he has to forego the chance to continue the successful partnership he has forged with the flying machine, who is unbeaten in three runs under Lane since he joined the Darren Weir stable in late autumn.
Top rider Mark Zahra, who has often teamed up successfully with Weir, is expected to take the ride in Lane's absence, aboard a galloper who Weir says is right at the top of the list of speed horses he has prepared.
Since moving to Weir's Ballarat yard, Nature Strip has won a back-end three-year-old handicap at Flemington and followed up at the same track over 1200 metres in a set weights and penalties event.
After a three-week let-up he went to Adelaide to win in listed company, easily seeing off the highly-regarded filly Sunlight, who is a year younger.
The horse's connections have been eyeing a shot at the Everest, but so far he is not a confirmed runner in the nation's richest race.
While he has won over 1200 metres he has not proven himself against top-liners over that trip - which is the distance of The Everest - and next Saturday's dash at the Valley is over the minimum distance of 1000 metres.
Discussing his charge while celebrating his five-timer at Caulfield on Saturday, Weir said: "He's great, he trials Tuesday and then he is ready to go".
''The trial will be at Mortlake on Tuesday. He is the best sprinter I have ever had.''
Weir sent a strong signal to rival trainers on Saturday that he was ready to hit the ground running in the spring.
His Caulfield Cup favourite Kings Will Dream ran a slashing race in the Memsie, finishing fast and late over the unsuitable 1400 metre trip to grab third place behind Humidor and Kementari, the Godolphin hope who looked unlucky.
The champion trainer can plot whatever course he likes with Kings Will Dream, as he is assured of a Caulfield Cup start through his win in the Mornington Cup.
That isn't the case, however, with another Caulfield Cup aspirant in Night's Watch, who scored easily at the track on Saturday under a confident ride from Lane.
He won the Jockey Celebration Handicap off a rating of 91 on Saturday, so Weir will need to get his rating up if he is to make the field for the 2400-metre contest, the richest handicap in the world over that distance, in seven weeks' time.
The trainer was floating the idea of backing the former New Zealand-trained son of Redwood up next Saturday in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley. Were he to do so and Night's Watch to win, then his handicap rating would certainly go up, as well as give him an automatic berth in the Cox Plate.
''We will try and get into the Caulfield Cup, run in the Dato next week. That's been the plan all along,'' he said after the horse's victory in the 1400 metre contest.
"It was very impressive and it was some sort of ride, Damian did everything absolutely perfectly.
''It was imporant because if he has a good week we definitely want to try and back him up next week. He was eased down and should come out of it really well.
''He's a really nice horse. He's matured a lot, but as you could see with his antics before the race he's still not 100 per cent.
''We are hoping for the Caulfield Cup.
''Whether he gets here or not I am sure he will win a nice race along the way. I think he will run 2000 metres, I don't think that will be a problem."