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Mile Test An Important Big Dance Dry Run For Yorkshire

By Ray Hickson

Trainer John O’Shea is hoping there’s a little bit of his former star Lost And Running in emerging galloper Yorkshire who will be looking to end his current campaign at Randwick on Saturday with a hat-trick.

There's no talk of Yorkshire developing into an Everest runner later in the year as Lost And Running did after compiling six wins from his first seven starts - his focus is on other big money spring races like the Big Dance and The Ingham.

But it's the way he’s collecting the wins and moving quickly through the grades that moved O'Shea to mention Lost And Running.

Trainer John O'Shea (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Yorkshire, a winner of five of his seven starts, has an important test from a Big Dance perspective in the Wellington Racing Club Trophy (1600m) – it's his first look at the Randwick mile.

“I like his racing position, he takes up a forward position, and his big galloping action,’’ O’Shea said.

“His record says he has got similar traits to a horse like him (Lost and Running).

“We’re happy with the horse and he’s coming to a nice peak. The ground will suit him and the trip will suit him too.”

The four-year-old, $2.40 with TAB on Thursday, hasn’t yet had an opportunity to lock away some eligibility for the $3 million Big Dance, run in November, but O’Shea and co-trainer Tom Charlton are in no rush.

It could come as soon as the Scone Cup in May and O’Shea has travelled as far as the final regional qualifying race at Coonamble, most recently with Ravello last year, in an attempt to get into the Big Dance.

“I think he’s good enough to run in those races,’’ he said.

“This will be his last run, he’s going to run out of races but we’ll give him a freshen up and we’ll have a look at it after Saturday.

“We might give him a couple of runs in the winter. I was hoping to go through the grades but I was disappointed with how they allocated the points after his last win.”

Apprentice Anna Roper takes 3kg off Yorkshire’s back on Saturday and he’ll carry half a kilogram more than when James McDonald guided him home in Benchmark 88 grade at Rosehill two weeks ago.

“We’ve got a good working relationship with Anna and we’ve been keen to get her on a nice horse,’’ O’Shea said.

Lightly raced filly More Territories steps out of stakes grade for the first time since her debut win when she resumes in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) after O’Shea decided not to run in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

While unplaced in all four starts in the spring, More Territories wasn’t beaten more than a few lengths in any and did kick off that prep beaten a length by Manaal in the Furious Stakes.

“She’s going really well. She’s got a nice draw and hopefully that’s not a disadvantage by that stage of the day,’’ he said.

Next month’s Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) is the immediate aim for More Territories.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting

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