Patched up front runner Chetwood has been handed a horror barrier for his return to racing in the Listed $125,000 Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Chetwood, above, has to overcome a horror barrier in the Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Chetwood will have to jump from the outside barrier in the field that has been reduced to fifteen runners following the early scratching of the Angela Davies trained Machinegun Jubs.
The James Cummings trained five year old will also have to carry the equal 59kg top weight at his first run back since undergoing a throat operation.
Cummings was forced to send Chetwood to the surgeon for a ‘tie back’ operation after leading and finishing a disappointing ninth to Happy Clapper in the Group 3 $150,000 Coca-Cola Newcastle Newmarket Handicap (1400m) at Newcastle on March 17.
Chetwood has had two barrier trial wins at Canterbury and Warwick Farm following his recovery from the surgery and Cummings is happy with his condition but wary of the wide barrier in the Razor Sharp Handicap.
“Chetwood has been a great horse for the stable and has achieved a fair bit already,’’ Cummings told the racing New South Wales Newsdesk.
“He’s not going to find it easy where he is, carrying 59kg, but he’s training solidly and I was impressed by his trials.
“He can be a free flowing horse but I was a lot happier with his Warwick Farm trial than his Canterbury trial.’’
Tye Angland gets the call up to ride Chetwood under race conditions for the second time although he did get a feel of the five year old in his latest trial win over 807m at Warwick Farm on November 21.
Angland’s other pairing with Chetwood resulted in a third placing behind Lady Sniper and Kimberley Star in the 2016 Listed $150,000 Gosford Guineas (1200m) at Gosford.
Chetwood has a good fresh recorded, having won twice first up from three attempts, and is on the third line of betting at $6 for the Razor Sharp Handicap with Ladbrokes.com.au behind $4.60 favourite I Thought So and the best fancied of the three Team Snowden runners, Calanda, at $4.80.
The David Pfieffer trained I Thought So has been placed at his last three starts, including a last start third in the Listed $150,000 MSS Security Sprint (1200m) on Melbourne Cup Day and has the advantage of a lightweight, 53kg, for apprentice Rachel King and a good barrier at gate three.
Calanda finished fourth, one length behind I Thought So, in the Security Sprint and has since filled the runner’s up stall when second to Monsieur Gustave in the Group 3 $200,000 George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on December 2.
Kerrin McEvoy takes over the reins from Damian Browne on Calanda who has drawn in the middle of the pack at barrier seven.