Latest News

By Ray Hickson

The only way Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord is prepared to split promising three-year-olds Spywire and Axius is on a wet track but with that unlikely he’ll settle for one of them winning the Private Life @ Coolmore Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Johann Gerard-Dubord (Pic: Bradley Photos)

With 10 starts under his belt Spywire is the more experienced, Axius made his debut just on 12 months ago and is set to have only his fifth race start, and while they’ve never worked together he said there are plenty of similarities between the stablemates.

“Both are very talented horses, both improvers, they’re not too dissimilar,’’ he said.

“They showed plenty of ability early on, both had time off and were gelded and both were very good first-up.

“We’ve always thought they are very talented horses and we haven’t seen the best of them yet.”

The TAB market says the Maher duo has a stranglehold on the race with Spywire $2.80 on Thursday and Axius $3.90 second elect.

When pushed a little to split the pair Gerard-Dubord said one factor favours Axius but another works in Spywire’s favour.

“Axius has drawn a bit better which is always a positive, Spywire probably needs a little bit more luck,’’ he said.

“If it was a wet track I’d say Axius, on a dry track I don’t think there is much between them.

“You could make a case for them both all day long.”

Spywire bumped into King’s Secret when he resumed at Rosehill two weeks ago, giving that horse 1.5kg, while Axius was too strong for stablemate Epic Proportions in his first-up Kensington win.

Gerard-Dubord said it’s encouraging to see the form hold up around both horses.

“Spywire was probably a touch unlucky, he didn’t get the gap at just the right time,’’ he said.

“If he gets the gap a couple of strides before he might have won, but it was good to see King’s Secret with a big weight last week get the job done again to give you a bit of confidence.

“Now he’s as gelding he doesn’t take as much work as he used to, he doesn’t carry a lot of condition. He’s a different horse than he was 12 months ago.”

The Trapeze Artist gelding burst onto the scene winning two of his first four starts, and ran third in Storm Boy's Magic Millions, and he'd had seven starts before Axius made his debut.

Pierata gelding Without Peer steps out for the first time in the Traffic Warden @ Darley Handicap (1200m) and it wouldn’t surprise the stable if he looms at some point of the race.

Gerard-Dubord said both trials have pleased him and while he does lack a little in maturity at this stage it’s a good race to kick him off in.

“He’s a nice horse who has a lot of improvement to come in terms of physicality, he’s still unfurnished,’’ he said.

“But he’s got plenty of ability, we feel 1200m is the right distance and we’ll use it as a good starting point. We’ll ride him where he’s comfortable, he’ll be very strong late but he’s a bit raw and new still.”

Spywire runs second at Rosehill on June 28

Meanwhile, there’s a good chance Naval Commission will be saved from the Mostyn Copper Handicap (2400m) given his outside barrier and his preference for softer ground.

Everything about the race looks suitable to the stable, on the back of a close up fifth over 2000m at Rosehill two weeks ago, except for those two significant factors.

“He’s looking for the 2400m and he was very unlucky last start. We’ll see how dry the track is, it’d be a call on Saturday morning,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting