Almindoro will begin a light autumn campaign aimed at the Group Two Alister Clark Stakes when he resumes at Sandown on Saturday.
The Redoute’s Choice three-year-old is still a maiden after five starts but showed he was one of the better middle distance/staying prospects around last spring with two seconds in Listed and Group Three events.
The gelding was runner-up by a long neck to Eclair Surprise in the UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington and beaten a half-length when runner-up to Retrieve in the Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield, both in October.
Flemington trainer Steve Richards sent Almindoro to the paddock for a spell of just short of five weeks after he finished sixth to Lion Tamer in the Victoria Derby (2500m) on October 30.
Steven King, who has ridden Almindoro in four of his five starts, takes the mount in Saturday’s Premier Signs Hcp (1400m), a rating 0-72 race for three-year-olds.
“He’s come back well and this race will be a nice starting point for him,” Richards said.
“They’ll be a bit sharp for him over that journey. He’s just a bit pretty and new but it’s a nice big track for him.
“He’s got 59kg on his back too, but as long as he’s running on nicely I’ll be happy as we still have seven weeks to get him to the Alister Clark which looks a good race for him.”
The $200,000 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) is run at Moonee Valley on March 18.
Richards said he was not looking at taking Almindoro to Sydney this autumn, preferring to put him aside before getting him ready for the spring.
Almindoro is at $14 with TAB Sportsbet which has the promising Tony Vasil-trained Under The Eiffel favourite at $2.80 ahead of Blades of Glory ($3.60), Ferreus at $7 and Yorkshire Lad at $8.
Mossman gelding Under The Eiffel returned from a 13-month layoff due to a broken shoulder when he scored a strong 1-1/2 length win over Broadcast over 1200m at Sandown on January 19.
Bradbury’s Luck gelding Blades Of Glory, prepared by leading trainer Peter Moody, is unbeaten in two starts, winning the latest by a short half-head from Beckenbauer over 1200m at Morphettville on January 15.
Snitzel colt Yorkshire Lad, trained at Warrnambool by Aaron Purcell, was beaten a neck by Bigelow when runner-up in the Listed Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) three starts back at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.