Racing
Weather key to Insignia return
Grahame Begg plans running Royal Insignia first-up at Caulfield provided the track is not too wet.
Trainer Grahame Begg will be keeping an eye on the weather as he readies Royal Insignia for a return to racing at Caulfield.
Royal Insignia is among nominations for the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) on Saturday which will be his first outing since finishing tenth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in March.
Begg has resolved to keep Royal Insignia to short course racing this campaign but does not want to run the entire on affected ground.
But Begg said Royal Insignia had done the ground work to start first-up on Saturday.
"The only way he won't run is if it's a heavy track," Begg said.
Rain is forecast at Caulfield for between two and nine millimetres on Friday with the potential of up to another three millimetres of rain on Saturday.
Royal Insignia has had three jump-outs in readiness for Saturday's return, winning his most recent over 1000m on Monday.
Begg said he favoured Monday's hit-out rather that a gallop at Cranbourne on Tuesday morning to squeeze a little extra fitness into Royal Insignia.
It was noticeable that Royal Insignia sweated up during the gallop, but Begg said that was planned.
"He's been in work for some time but, with the timing and everything, it was going to be a long time between his last jump-out and Saturday if I didn't take him yesterday," Begg said.
"Being a colt, he's a big strong lad, and he needed that little bit extra.
"Him sweating up, that was on purpose. We took him over early and gave him a bit of a warm up beforehand.
"He is a bit of a free sweater, but it was good to get him there as I wouldn't have been able to simulate that with just a gallop this morning.
"This way I was able to knock a few of the rough edges off him.
"He has sweated up before, but he is a very laid-back horse on the track, so if I galloped him this morning in the company of another horse, he wouldn't have got that sort of work out.
"We're looking forward to seeing him return on Saturday, but we're hopeful that we don't get too much rain."
Jordan Childs, who has ridden the four-year-old in his past two jump-outs, will take the mount on Saturday.
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