O'Sullivan and Scott Aim at Qld Carnival

Stablemates Dragon Leap (Pierro-Pontiana, by Redoute’s Choice) and Spring Heat (More Than Ready-Emaurismo, by Redoute’s Choice) furthered their preparations for a tilt at the Brisbane Winter Carnival with an exhibition gallop between races at Te Rapa on Saturday. For the Hermitage Thoroughbreds-owned Dragon Leap, the outing was another step on his path to a raceday return having been off the scene due to some ligament issues since finishing towards the rear of the field in the Gr2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick last September. The 4YO son of Pierro (Lonhro) has the Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in June as his major assignment with co-trainer Lance O’Sullivan, who prepares him in partnership with Andrew Scott, impressed by how he has progressed over the past month. “At this stage there is a race for him three weeks before the Stradbroke (Gr3 BRC Sprint, 1350m) that we will use as the lead up, so he will have a trial a week before that, then the lead up race and then hopefully into the Stradbroke,” advised O’Sullivan. “He came back to us from the Hermitage property in grand order and we have been delighted with how he has come along. We’ve taken every precaution with him, but we’ve had time on our side as the main aim all along was to go to Brisbane.” Accompanying Dragon Leap to Queensland is multiple Group 1 placegetter Spring Heat, who will finish off her racing career in the sunshine state before taking her place in the Hermitage Thoroughbreds broodmare band.