The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham on December 21 is next for Nadal, but connections are already setting their sights on Group 1 sprints in 2025.
The Ciaron Maher-trained sprinter demolished his rivals in last month’s The Meteorite (1200m), and while he is set to target both of Southside Racing’s $1 million slot races, assistant trainer Jack Turnbull revealed that the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 22 has been chosen as the four-year-old gelding’s first major sprint target for 2025.
“It’s 62 days to the Oakleigh Plate after The Supernova. He can have a couple of weeks out in the paddock and he’s not going to lose fitness and he’ll be ready to go,” Turnbull told Racing.com.
“Ciaron and I have said for a fair while he’s the best handicap sprinter we have this spring.
“He’s always threatened to do what he did at Cranbourne, but until they do it, it’s only hearsay.”
Turnbull added that Nadal’s combination of speed and maturity had helped bring everything together.
“He’s a fast horse, but he’s better as a gelding.
“He had time off because he had soft knees and it all came together at once.”
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