Seven’s heaven: Heavy ground a godsend for resuming gelding

One of Sydney’s leading stables is out to put down a spring marker when it resumes an imported gelding at Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting.

Seven’s, a UK-bred and lightly raced five-year-old in the Annabel and Rob Archibald camp at Warwick Farm, hasn’t raced since failing on firm ground in a BM 78 at Wyong in mid-March.

Trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald.Credit: Getty Images

That was the third and final run for Seven’s across a disappointing seven-week campaign since arriving from Europe.

Earmarked behind consecutive weight-for-age wins in Europe around 2000m last year, Seven’s didn’t adjust to the tighter tracks in Australia, twice going under as a short-priced favourite at Warwick Farm and then on the Central Coast.

He was then spelled before returning with two solid trials up to 1200m, the latter in open class where he settled off speed before working home strongly despite laying in, all in readiness for a first-up BM 72 assignment over 1550m at Canterbury.

Seemingly looking stronger and more at home, Seven’s returns to his preferred rain-affected ground, with both those wins 12 months ago coming on very soft ground.

He is by high-class British staying stallion Bated Breath out of a Galileo mare, and the longer the distances get, the better placed he will be.

Seven’s drew to find a handy trail back in the pack, yet around this circuit from a tricky starting point, there’ll be little or no room for error.

Bat Out Of Hell, from the Bjorn Baker yard, is knocking on the door for a fifth career win after placing in his last couple.

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Both No Drama, a country-based six-year-old, and progressive mare Sting In The Tail who heads to the city after a storming second-up run in weaker grade at Wyong; can both command market support.

Meanwhile, in the opening race leading trainer Chris Waller resumes new season three-year-old Burma Star in a 1200m maiden.

An ex-Godolphin colt who hasn’t raced since mid-February, Burma Star looked smart in a recent trial, hitting the line from well back under a hold.

The race could prove a real form pointer heading towards spring, with two other three-year-olds - former Godolphin colt Barbarossa now with Ciaron Maher; and promising filly Spice Prawn second-up for the Peter Snowden stable – both expected to run well.

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