CIARON Maher is an astute observer of horses and his assessment of his star three-year-old colt Observer during the week would have sent shivers down the spine of his rivals in the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
Maher said Observer’s a better horse this campaign than he was last spring when he finished an unlucky third in the Caulfield Guineas before he won the Vase at The Valley and then the Victoria Derby.
Observer’s performance resumed with a comfortable on-speed win in the Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, which didn’t surprise his trainer.
“He’s grown up and matured this preparation. He didn’t surprise me how sharp he was,” Maher told Racing.com.
“I’m very happy with him. He’s made nice progression mentally and physically and Flemington should be ideal for him. He’s in good order.”
“We are very happy with him and he possesses that quality. His first-up run was very good and Flemington will suit him better.”
Maher’s Hitotsu became the third horse to complete the Victoria Derby and Australian Guineas double in 2022 when he won the race first-up.
Five Autumn Stakes winners have completed the Australian Guineas double. Only one horse, which was King’s High in 1989, has completed the treble of the Victoria Derby, Autumn Stakes and Australian Guineas.
Observer, who will be ridden by Ethan Brown, has been backed from $2.35 into $2.15 favourite with Unibet.
Michael Kent Junior acknowledges the challenge their gelding Planet Red faces but rates him a great each-way bet with good reason. Planet Red, which will be ridden by Jamie Melham, is $6 with Unibet.
In the Caulfield Guineas, Planet Red finished second and Observer third. First-up Planet Red charged home from last to finish second to Observer.
“Observer is going to be hard to beat and Sixties looks like a quality Group One colt to me. He has to prove himself at a mile although he sat three wide no cover and won with a leg in the air last start,” Kent Junior said on RSN.
“It’s an interesting race. Not a big field but a lot of quality at the top end and we are proven at that level.”
Kent Junior suggested Planet Red could go forward as he had done at his first start when he won over 1200m at Sandown.
