Elephant Faces Toughest Test

Unbeaten galloper Elephant (Shocking-Ticklish, by Maroof) will run in Saturday's Gr2 Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley, reports racingnews.co.nz. "It is probably where we are going to head, mainly just to see where he sits now," co-trainer David Browne said. "He needs quite a few points to get in a lot of those better races. Sooner or later we are going to have to go against better opposition and it is probably a nice race. It is at a good distance for him and it is not necessarily the very top but enough to give you a good line of where you're at. The horse looks really well and has come on in the coat a bit. He was a tad dull in the coat first-up but it is all starting to come through now and he has come on pretty well." Elephant will likely sit handy to the speed on Saturday. "He has got a lot of natural energy and may end up being more forward as he might bounce a bit quicker out of the gates than some of the stayers resuming," Browne said. "He is one of those horses that if you sit quiet on him he puts himself reasonably well where he needs to be. It wouldn't surprise me to see him in the first third of the field." Elephant has won all his five starts, four in New Zealand, and one in Australia. Not offered at public auction, Elephant is a half-brother to group winner Melt (Iffraaj) and their dam, Ticklish, was a Listed winning sprinter who ran third in the Gr1 Lightning Stakes behind Miss Andretti (Ihtiram-Peggie's Bid, by Marooned) and Magnus (Flying Spur-Scandinavia, by Snippets).

Elephant has brought his kiwi form to Australia (pic: Trish Dunell)