Singapore champ heads to Flemington

Former Singapore trainer Dan Meagher held hopes of tackling The Goodwood at Morphettville first-up with his best horse Lim's Kosciuszko. 

But instead of heading straight to Group 1 level for Lim's Kosciuszko's Australian debut, Meagher has instead selected a race down the Flemington straight to kick him off in. 

The Listed Hilton Nicholas Straight Six (1200m) on Saturday will also give Meagher an idea with where Lim's Kosciuszko sits after winning 22 of his 29 starts in Singapore, along with one start in Hong Kong. 

"I think I should lower my sights a little bit," Meagher said. 

"Going to The Goodwood, it would have been an eight-hour trip there and an eight-hour trip back. 

"It was a proper Group 1 race, a good field, and he would have been having his first Australian run. 

"I thought he was peaking last year, or the year before, and I need to make sure that he's going as well as we know he can, so to take him eight hours away, for a Group 1, was probably the wrong thinking. 

"So instead, I'm going to run him on Saturday, up the straight at Flemington." 

A race down the straight at Flemington will be something new for Lim's Kosciuszko as will be travelling by float to the races. 

In Singapore, Lim's Kosciuszko was walked from his stable to the race day tie up stalls. 

To alleviate that potential problem, Lim's Kosciuszko has had three jump-outs, two at away venues, to get him used to travelling. 

Meagher does not see the straight posing any dangers for Lim's Kosciuszko, although it is a query. 

"Winners like him, and he's won some good races, should not be affected," Meagher said. 

"If he's going good enough, he will show up in that race and I wouldn't think the straight would be a huge negative." 

In deciding to bypass Adelaide for a first-up tilt at Flemington, Meagher thought what his father, Melbourne Cup winning trainer John Meagher, would do. 

"He always said that you put your horses in the lowest grade and yourself in the best grade," Meagher said. 

"I have a little question mark on him now, mainly because of his age. 

"He's not getting any faster, and maybe he's getting a bit slower, so I didn't want to butcher him in a Group 1 and make him look bad. 

"He's been good to me, so we'll see how he is, and we can head off to Brisbane if he ticks the box." 

Lim's Kosciuszko has been entered for the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 31 and the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm two weeks later.