Mick Price will wait until Thursday to determine the weekend plans for his lightly-raced staying prospect, Netherfield.
The Caulfield trainer accepted him in the Chairman's Stakes at Morphettville and the Ern Jensen Funerals Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield with the $26 chance in CrownBet's South Australian Derby market.
But Price said he can't commit to a start anywhere yet after the son of Darci Brahma returned some mucus after a scope earlier in the week.
"He scoped up Tuesday with just a little bit of tracheal mucus, so I'm going to scope it on Thursday morning - he's due to go Thursday night - and if I'm not 100 per cent happy with him he won't go to Adelaide and it still gives me 48 hours pre-Saturday if I need to run him," Price said.
"I want to run it in the South Australian Derby, I want to go to Adelaide (this Saturday) and give him a little trip away and bring it straight back, but he needs to scope up 100 per cent clean before we do anything."
Netherfield has been to the races four times and is yet to finish out of a quinella slot. After a second to October Tutu at his only start of initial racing preparation, he started this campaign with a dominant maiden win at Terang.
He has finished second at Sandown, behind Zunbaqa and Top Of The Range, at his two subsequent outings.
If Netherfield runs in the A$120,000 Gr.3 Chairman's Stakes (2030m), where he has drawn the inside gate, he will be partnered by Damien Oliver, while Jamie Mott will have the mount if he contests the 1800m Caulfield event, in which he's drawn the outside gate in the field of 11.
"I'm hoping that the South Australian Derby doesn't catch him too soon," Price said. "He's not a big, tough, robust horse to be trying to get a mile-and-a-half with but we'll ask it of him and see what happens.
"He's going to be a nice four-year-old, it's just a matter of what we can do with him right at the moment." -racing.com
The Caulfield trainer accepted him in the Chairman's Stakes at Morphettville and the Ern Jensen Funerals Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield with the $26 chance in CrownBet's South Australian Derby market.
But Price said he can't commit to a start anywhere yet after the son of Darci Brahma returned some mucus after a scope earlier in the week.
"He scoped up Tuesday with just a little bit of tracheal mucus, so I'm going to scope it on Thursday morning - he's due to go Thursday night - and if I'm not 100 per cent happy with him he won't go to Adelaide and it still gives me 48 hours pre-Saturday if I need to run him," Price said.
"I want to run it in the South Australian Derby, I want to go to Adelaide (this Saturday) and give him a little trip away and bring it straight back, but he needs to scope up 100 per cent clean before we do anything."
Netherfield has been to the races four times and is yet to finish out of a quinella slot. After a second to October Tutu at his only start of initial racing preparation, he started this campaign with a dominant maiden win at Terang.
He has finished second at Sandown, behind Zunbaqa and Top Of The Range, at his two subsequent outings.
If Netherfield runs in the A$120,000 Gr.3 Chairman's Stakes (2030m), where he has drawn the inside gate, he will be partnered by Damien Oliver, while Jamie Mott will have the mount if he contests the 1800m Caulfield event, in which he's drawn the outside gate in the field of 11.
"I'm hoping that the South Australian Derby doesn't catch him too soon," Price said. "He's not a big, tough, robust horse to be trying to get a mile-and-a-half with but we'll ask it of him and see what happens.
"He's going to be a nice four-year-old, it's just a matter of what we can do with him right at the moment." -racing.com