Xtravagant Back on Track

www.theinformant.co.nz today reports:

Xtravagant is back in the swing and ready to open his spring campaign at Flemington on Saturday.

Last season's champion three-year-old was withdrawn early last week from his scheduled season opener at Moonee Valley last Saturday when a temperature spike meant missing important lead-up work.

However, co-trainer Stephen Autridge reports from Melbourne that all is well again with the Pentire colt and he will run in the Gr. 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality down the Flemington straight 1200 metres this weekend.

“That's provided he goes okay in his main hitout tomorrow morning, but everything seems fine with him,” Autridge told www.theinformant.co.nz this morning. “It wasn't a biggie last week and if we hadn't been doing temperatures and bloods we mightn't even have picked it up.

“But as it was we were able to treat it properly and he's been good ever since. He's very bright in the coat and they're saying it's going to warm up this week, so that will be good.”

Damien Oliver, who had been booked for the Moonee Valley ride and has been able commit to next Saturday, will be on Xtravagant in his gallop tomorrow.

“It was a relief that Damien was able to stick with the ship and looking at the way they were racing at the Valley, I didn't really mind that he wasn't there.

“Unless you were a swooper you were no hope, so I'm looking forward to seeing him down the straight-six on Saturday.”

While nothing is set in stone beyond the weekend, the next race pencilled in for Xtravagant is the Gr. 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield on September 24