THE spring carnival plans for Bendigo galloper Setinum will be decided by his run in Saturday’s Group One Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
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Trainer Shane Fliedner has thrown Setinum in at the deep end in the $400,000 event in a bid to gauge where he should head for the rest of the spring.
“This race will tell us where the horse is at,’’ Fliedner said.
“We’d love to win the race, but realistically we’d be very happy if he runs top five.
“This race will set the path for what he does this spring. We’re better off finding that out now than later in the preparation.
“The worst thing you can do is changing the course you’re doing. I don’t want to upset the horse’s preparation by having him back up.
“Ideally, we can set a plan where he has at least two weeks between runs.”
A top five finish against some of Australia’s best weight-for-age horses would be a huge feather in the cap for Setinum and Fliedner.
The four-year-old gelding will start from the outside barrier and only receives half a kilogram at the weights from proved Group performers Boban, Happy Trails, Temple Of Boom and Smokin’ Joey.
“It’s a stronger and deeper field than the last few runnings of the Memsie,’’ Fliedner said.
“The barrier draw wasn’t kind either. There’s no good the horse going all the way back from there, so I’d like to see him try and get a spot closer to the lead.”
Setinum stunned his higher-rated rivals to win the Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at his first run from a spell a fortnight ago.
The step up in distance suits and under-rated hoop Jake Noonan is back in the saddle after riding Setinum to victory in the Bendigo Guineas in the autumn.
“Setinum is a lazy track worker, but I’ve been happy with what he’s done since the first-up win,’’ Noonan said.
On Friday, Setinum was rated a $41 chance in the Memsie. The Chris Waller-trained Boban was favourite at $5 ahead of the resuming Hi World at $8.