Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Nathan Doyle hopes his decision to take his time with talented sprinter Kipsbay pays off and he can edge toward stakes grade with a first-up win at Rosehill on Saturday.

The five-year-old has been off the scene since June last year and after he pulled up from his last start with some issues so Doyle elected not to rush him back for a summer preparation.

He hit the ground running by winning his first three starts for Doyle, he was formerly with Chris Waller, and just failed to record a fourth when nosed out by Devil’s Throat under 59kg before his break.

On the back of two strong trials Kipsbay, $6.50 with TAB on Friday, is ready to return in the Farewell James Ross Sprint (1100m) where he gets in with 53.5kg.

“He seems to have come up very well in his two trials,’’ Doyle said.

“He had a bit of a setback so he had an extended break but he seems to be moving well and doing everything right. He was feeling a few joints so we gave him a bit of time and he seems to have responded well.

“I feel he’s trialled up better than he has in previous preparations so it looks the right race.

“I didn’t have a lot planned out for him, if he’s to step up to another level in might be in the winter so it’s probably the right time to have him back.”

Kipsbay wins a Hawkesbury trial on April 16

Doyle isn’t going to put the cart before the horse just yet and declare a target for Kipsbay but can see another win or two will push him into stakes company.

There is the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford in two weeks but if he wins first-up there’s no guarantee Doyle will ask him to go there straight away.

He’s adamant the gelding has the talent but admits he’ll have some nerves when he’s loaded into the gates first.

“Barrier one is probably not ideal for him, we know he’s had barrier issues in the past but he’s been good in the gates lately so hopefully it pans out okay,’’ he said.

“The horse is good, but you just want to see him do everything right on race day. You don’t want him to run his race before the gates open.

“He doesn’t shirk his task, he’s genuine, and I can’t see why he can’t step up. I just want to get through Saturday, it’s the right stepping stone and we’ll see where we sit.”

The Newcastle trainer sends In My Dreams to Kembla Grange searching for a maiden win in the Jim Beam Handicap (1000m).

The filly made her debut for Doyle, she started out with Mark Newnham then Michael Freedman, with a heavy track second at Tuncurry on April 18.

“She was okay, probably a pass mark, she probably shows more in trackwork and she’s probably done that to the previous trainers,’’ he said.

“You’d like to see her knock off a win before you show confidence but she’s drawn a good gate.”

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