TAKEOVER TARGET (AUS, 7g. bay)
Comments taken from Joseph Janiak
"I found the competition in Japan a lot harder than expected."
"He wasn't tired or anything on arrival.he just probably didn't have the right training for this race. that was the only problem. (after moving to Nakayama) the track here is good and the grass is good...we had a little bit of a trouble getting the use of it but now that we've been on it for a week we've got the horse pretty close to the mark. His condition has been fantastic."
"His best point is that he doesn't like to be beaten.he always tries his hardest and he doesn't like to see a horse in front of him, even in training. He's working on his own at the moment, he'll have another bit of a gallop tomorrow, and we'll probably have him right by Sunday."
"He started training as a two-year-old but being immature, kept breaking down before actually starting in a race. he was operated with a chip in his knees, three times.that was when his former owner decided to sell him because his vet told him that he would never run. I wasn't aware of his knee problems when I got him, but I gave him six months out on the grass to let him mature and we did some work on his shoeing to keep the pressure off his knees."
"(asked if he is conscious of being the GSC series leader) I prefer to take one race at a time, I just hope that we are able to get a draw in the inside and we'll make the effort of giving 110 percent in this race."
SILENT WITNESS (AUS, 7g. bay)
Comments taken from Anthony Cruz
"I am honored to be back for the Sprinters Stakes time this year. He lost his form being affected by a virus after quarantine in Hong Kong. He recovered slowly after that and finished second and third but jarred both his joints in his next start in the Champion's Mile."
"His barrier trials on August 25 and September 15 (third and second respectively) gave me the indication that he was back to himself. I would say that he can perform to 95 percent of what he was when he won the Sprinters Stakes last year though he's lost some of his early speed. He drew an outside draw last year, which didn't affect his performance so I'm not worried with which position he'll be starting. I guess he will be starting from behind then position himself within the distance."
"(asked about key rivals) I would say Les Arcs is impressive with two G1 wins, but I'd say that the Japanese horses would have to be the ones to look out for with the home ground advantage."
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