Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer James Ponsonby is considering bypassing Wednesday’s Rosehill meeting and giving in-form galloper Socrates his chance in Sunday’s $100,000 Taree Cup.

Trainer James Ponsonby (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s going to require a race morning punt scratching the five-year-old from the New TAB App Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill where he’s drawn near the outside in the hope he draws favourably at Taree when fields are finalised a day later.

As it stands Ponsonby said Socrates is rather well placed at Rosehill coming out of successive Highway wins but a run at Taree in open company could open up options for the next 12 months.

“We’ve nominated for the Taree Cup and we’ll have a brief look at the noms for that race to make sure what race is the better option,’’ he said.

“He’s not going to have too many more starts this preparation.

“Hopefully he can come back and tackle some 78 races over a bit of ground and if he continues to improve with another preparation there are end of season Group races in Brisbane that might suit him over a bit of ground.”

It’s just a few days shy of a year since Socrates’ debut for Ponsonby, he was formerly trained by John O'Shea, in a set weights Class 1 at Queanbeyan where he finished third as a $1.80 favourite.

He broke a two year absence from the winner's stall in early September this year, claiming a Class 1 on a heavy track at Tuncurry, and since then the only way has been up.

“While his rise has been a little meteoric the last six weeks he’d shown talent in the past but it took him a while to find his bearings with us,’’ Ponsonby said.

“I just think the horse lacked maturity, he’s not a large horse but he’s a lot more robust now than he once was.

"The one thing that’s been different now is you can ride him on pace and he’s relaxing.”

That’ll be the key if Ponsonby rolls the dice at Rosehill as Socrates, $5.50 with TAB on Tuesday, has put himself forward in each of his three recent wins and he’ll be left with no option from the tricky start point.

“Travelling Kate held the front last time at Hawkesbury and she’s drawn underneath us so it’ll be a little bit of how much work to do to get up handy,’’ he said.

“If it had been a straight line there’d be no worries but it’s a very short run from the 1800m to the bend.

"He’s got good tactical speed so with the 2kg off (for Dylan Gibbons) he should be able to put himself handy.”

Ponsonby is likely to run Dark Satin in Saturday’s TAB Highway (1400m) at Kembla Grange and he said while she finished sixth as a $51 chance in a similar Highway two weeks ago there was plenty of merit in the run.

Socrates wins at Randwick on October 22

It was only her second Highway start and the trainer believes it can take some horses a couple of runs to adjust to the unique tempo in these races.

“I was really pleased with the way she finished the race off last time around,’’ he said.

“In fairness to her she was beaten just under three lengths the other day but she was hitting the line well and was hampered a couple of times in the straight.

“She goes into the race with no real weight on her back and hopefully she can draw a nice low barrier where she can lob into her spot and cut two or three lengths out of what her normal race pattern is.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Rosehill meeting