Maher team eyes Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington

Seraphox runs in the Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday after two runs in Sydney where he was successful at Warwick Farm at his most recent start. 

The Maher stable had enough of an early impression of the colt to step him out on debut in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill last month, and while he finished second last, he was only four lengths from the winner. 

Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, said Seraphox was a colt that the stable has high hopes for. 

"He's a beautiful horse," Turnbull said. 

"It's the right trip and it's the right time to bring him down. 

"He debuted in a good race on a Saturday in Sydney and did a few things wrong, and then he won his maiden next time around. 

"He's been down here a couple of weeks, and he's taken to the left-handed direction without a problem. 

"He's a placid animal and has taken no extra work to settle him in, he's been very natural and very straight forward. 

"He will be a very interesting horse because he will continue to get better as he's only young and whatever he does over 1400 (metres) you can potentially look to the spring, if he takes that step." 

Turnbull said the stable will be guided by how Seraphox performs on Saturday and has not ruled out a trip to Brisbane for the winter. 

The Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 30 and the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m), also at Eagle Farm two weeks later, could potentially be races on Seraphox's agenda. 

"There are races in Brisbane if we wanted to push on, or we could put him away and go through the pathway of trying to get him to the (Caulfield) Guineas in the spring," Turnbull said. 

Another two-year-old from Sydney lining up in the Anzac Day Stakes is Nialah who finished third in a maiden on debut at Wyong at her only outing. 

Turnbull said Nialah had taken time to settle down and become a racehorse. 

"Early in her career she was very fast and fierce, but she's settled a bit now and we were pleased with how she ran at Wyong," Turnbull said. 

"Joe and the team up there in Sydney were pretty keen to step her up in trip, so she's come down for an early chance at some Black Type."