A pleasing gallop between races at Ballarat has multiple Group One winner Gailo Chop one step closer to a return to racing after a lengthy injury lay-off.
Gailo Chop is on the comeback trail from a tendon injury, having not raced since finishing second to champion Winx in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in April last year.
Now in the care of Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams, Gailo Chop was taken to Ballarat for a gallop on the synthetic track between races on Tuesday and pleased his trainer with the way he worked in company with Social Spin.
John Allen rode Gailo Chop in the hit-out.
“He had a gallop there a week ago and he worked solo and just had a bit of a look up the straight,” Williams said.
“With a mate today he travelled up a lot stronger and he worked nicely to the line on the bridle.
“It was a pretty strong last 600 metres.
“He pulled up terrific after it.
“He still looks a bit chubby but at the end of the day it’s still nearly three months until the Cox Plate which is obviously his main goal.”
Williams plans to give Gailo Chop three barrier trials, the first at Cranbourne on Monday, before his planned return in the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 14.
After the Makybe Diva, Gailo Chop is scheduled to progress to the Underwood Stakes and the Cox Plate.
“His action and that is great,” Williams said.
“He’s always been a really good moving horse.
“He certainly hasn’t lost that and he certainly seems to still have that bit of fire in the belly.”