Xtravagant Lands in Good Shape

The Informant reports:

Happy horse, happy trainer.

That neatly sums up Stephen Autridge in Melbourne tonight as he went into something more like relax mode with the safe arrival of Saturday's Australian Guineas favourite Xtravagant at his temporary Flemington stable early this afternoon.

“He's happy so I'm happy,” said the Matamata trainer after he had been left to kick stones when Xtravagant's flight across the Tasman was delayed by a day due to concerns with the brakes on the charter jet.

“All‘s well though, he came off the float as if he owned the place - left quite an impression on all the media waiting for him too I'd say, they know he's here to rumble.

“Once the cameras had all gone he got the chance to relax. He's had plenty to drink and he had his head in the bin when we left him.”

Looking at the colt in his box at Leon and Troy Corstens' Flemington yard, Autridge felt that the delay had been nothing but an anxious interlude for those closest to the horse.

“When we weighed him yesterday he was 508 kilos, he was 510 before he won his last start and 497 back when he won the 2000 Guineas in November. We'll arrange to weigh him tomorrow, but the good thing is he had a little bit to come and go on.

“First thing in the morning he'll have a swim, which is his normal routine, and then provided he's eaten alright tonight, he'll go for a trot and a bit of a swinging canter.”

Autridge reports that expectations are for a good track after predicted rain failed to eventuate today and no more is forecast before Saturday afternoon.

“That's what we want,” he added. “We've got the draw, the horse has landed, now all we want to do is race.”

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