Racehorse TALK

Monash next on Sasso's agenda
6/07/2009 10:50:00 AM
Melbourne's hot sprinter, Gran Sasso, will not be going for a spell, rather trainer Brian Mayfield Smith will tackle the $100,000 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) in two weeks time.


Run at Caulfield on July 18, the Sir John Monash is the first of the weight-for-age races that the good horses target as they start to come back for the Spring Carnival.

Gran Sasso continued his stunning off-season form at Flemington on Saturday when he thrashed a strong field in the $150,000 All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m).

"I'm going to run him in the Sir John Monash at Caulfield in two weeks, before giving him a short let-up to get him ready for some of the better sprints in the Spring," Mayfield-Smith said when a guest on Sport 927 this morning.

The highly respect and astute Mayfield-Smith says the main reason for the turnaround in Gran Sasso's form has been gelding the horse.

"The gelding has been the main reason. He's always been a good horse but he concentrates better now and it's made most of the difference to his form," he said.

Gran Sasso has always shown above average ability right from his two-year-old days, but this preparation he has risen to a new level, and Mayfield-Smith beleives he may be a player in some of the better quality sprint races down the Flemington straight during the Spring.

Neale Donnelley