Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig is banking on the experience gained from Split Second‘s debut as pivotal to the two-year-old’s chances at Flemington.
Split Second contests the Byerley Handicap (1800m) on Saturday which gives the winner Victoria Derby or VRC Oaks exemptions at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week.
Dabernig, who now trains in partnership with Ben Hayes after David Hayes’ departure for Hong Kong, said Split Second was likely to relish the rise in distance.
At his only start, Split Second closed off nicely for third behind Efflorescence at Ballarat last month, with the winner confirming the form with victory at Caulfield last Saturday.
“He is a horse that relaxed nicely in his first start and kept coming to the line,” Dabernig said.
“It is a bit of a jump up in trip and with two-year-olds you don’t always know, or any horse really, whether they will run it.
“But he looks like a type as we get him up in trip that will be well suited.
“We’ll get to learn a bit more about him after the race, but I am optimistic about him.”
Saturday’s race also sees Johnny Get Angry line-up for former AFL coach Denis Pagan.
Johnny Get Angry was Pagan’s first starter after being granted his trainers’ licence and finished third behind Cherry Tortoni at Flemington on July 4.