Ability to be tested again in 2017 Bletchingly Stakes

Brad Waters - Tuesday July 25

It simply didn't make sense for the connections of in-form sprinter Ability to bypass Saturday's Group III Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Advertisement
Ability will aim for his fourth straight win in Saturday's Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Ability has improved rapidly since resuming as a gelding with the son of Reward For Effort progressing from a BM78 to a Listed success in the space of three starts.

Trainer Robert Smerdon said he initially wanted to give Ability a break with another race in mind but decided to capitalise on the four-year-old's hot run of form with an attempt at a Group race win.

"We were going to give him a break but we were waiting for a $150,000 race and there was one in our own backyard," Smerdon said.

"It made sense to take advantage of where he's at if he was coping with the work and he hasn't missed a beat.

"It's a step up again but the horse is pretty fit while Lankan Rupee and a couple of others are resuming from good spells so we're hoping it will be to our advantage."

Smerdon said Ability's work at Caulfield on Tuesday morning showed the speedster was fit enough to continue his winning run if he coped with the jump to weight-for-age racing.

However, Smerdon said the Bletchingly Stakes would serve as a pointer to where Ability sits in the sprinting ranks leading into the spring.

"(Jockey) Ryan Maloney, who rides him in all his fast work, rode him to dash up over 600(m) this morning and said he's going as well as he has ever been," Smerdon said.

"It's a class test for him and we'll be able to see where he steps up.

"If he falls short, there are still plenty of races form him but it's a good time to gauge him against those sorts of horses."

Craig Williams will resume his partnership with Ability after missing the horse's last-start win in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final through suspension.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Moir Stakes squeeze could be godsend for Ability
Robert Smerdon reckons it might prove to be a blessing in disguise that his exciting sprinter Ability will miss the cut for the Group I Moir Stakes on Friday night.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Does Smerdon have the Ability to win the 2017 Memsie Stakes?
Bletchingly Stakes winner Ability won’t run in Saturday’s Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield because trainer Robert Smerdon has his eye on a bigger prize for the rapid improver.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Ability swoops to take 2017 Bletchingly Stakes
Ability signalled he could be a contender in feature races in the spring with victory in Sunday’s Group III Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Sandown Lakeside.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.