Emma Stewart’s Perth Inter Dominion army is down to three.
Stewart has scratched emerging star Ideal For Real, but quickly added she was committed to taking Guaranteed, Yankee Rockstar and Restrepo to Perth next month.
“We really wanted to take Ideal For Real, but he was so far down the rankings we would have had to race him too much before the series to get him above the cut-off,” she said.
“It’s disappointing and we thought he deserved to be ranked higher, but he can stay home now and target the big races here (Melbourne) over summer instead. Then we can look at the Miracle Mile.”
Stewart was pleased with Guaranteed first start for 21 months when a distant second to Hectorjayjay in last Saturday night’s Swan Hill Cup.
“He was in a no-win situation pretty straight after the start when Hectorjayjay strolled to the lead, but he came around, sat outside the leader and stuck on well,” she said.
“He will improve a lot on that and now we need to pick out his next race.”
Stewart still rates Guaranteed as her best hope in Perth ahead of Yankee Rockstar and Restrepo.
“We think he will love the track and the style of racing over there,” she said.
“He will get better with each run and should be right at his peak for the final.”
Stewart went further by saying she expected stable driver Gavin Lang would stick with Guaranteed if he had to choose between her three stars.
“Guaranteed has been there and done. He’ll thrive through an Inter Dominion series,” she said.
Yankee Rockstar, winner of the Cranbourne and Kilmore Cups last campaign, will resume in Sunday’s Maryborough Cup.
“He’s ready to go. He’s been delayed a bit by hoof abcesses, but he’s right back now,” she said.
Restrepo, who was scratched from his comeback race at Melton two weeks ago, is also close to a return.
“He’s another of ours who had a hoof abscess. We’ve been plagued by them, but he’s recovered and almost ready for the races.”
Stewart expects to have at least one of her stars clash with Hectorjayjay in the Yarra Valley Cup on November 3.
Adam Hamilton