‘A work in progress’: Dryden looks to the future with Sweet Warrior

It’s all about the future for handy debut winner Sweet Warrior with Canberra trainer Keith Dryden keen to have her learn something at Nowra on Sunday before heading for a break.

The three-year-old kicked off her career with a strong win on her home track, and it was a long time coming after what unfolded in her first barrier trial over six months earlier.

They’re racing at Nowra on Sunday.Credit: Jenny Evans

Dryden, who co-trains with Libby Snowden, wants to send the filly around one more time this campaign in the Jim’s Blinds, Shutters & Awnings Handicap (1100m).

“She’s probably a bit new at the moment, we’re going to give her this one more run and put her back in the paddock,” Dryden said.

“She indicates that later on she might be OK, but she’s been a work in progress.

“If you go back and look at her first barrier trial, she took control of the rider and went to the outside fence.

“Instead of trying to persevere, I started afresh with her and this time in she’s going along quite OK.”

Sweet Warrior led most of the way to her debut win, racing on the inside of a line of three, and rallied when headed.

She came through the run bouncing but the lesson Dryden wants to teach her is to not rush in her races as he feels she’ll be most effective over more than the 1000m scamper.

“Even though she won over 1000m, I think she is going to be a 1400m horse in the end,” he said.

“I might just ride her back off the pace, I don’t mean way back, and teach her to settle and help get that extra ground a bit later on.

Loading

“If you keep rushing them up front they get into that habit.”

Advice from jockey Alysha Collett has encouraged Dryden to make some changes with Acheson as he seeks a return to the winner’s circle in the Fix Auto Shoalhaven Handicap (1400m), having been scratched from Friday’s Canberra meeting.

Most Viewed in Sport

Loading