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The Barbara Joseph - Paul Jones training partnership have enjoyed strong recent success and autumn targets now beckon for its better performed gallopers.
Jones says Goulburn Cup winner Just A Blur has gone to the paddock for three weeks.
“She is being freshened with the aim of racing first-up in the $125,000 Canberra National Sprint on Mercedes-Benz Black Opal Day
“We were not disappointed with her unplaced run in the Gosford Belle Of The Turf the other day.
“She was not favourably weighted and sat three wide all the way and was beaten just 2.6L.”
Bank On Henry is also out for three weeks following a largely luckless campaign in good races.
“Bar one race, I think he could have won all of them,” Jones says. “Cahill rode him like a good horse at Wagga the other day and back in country grade he was too good for them.
“He’ll be aimed at the Country Championship qualifier at Goulburn on the 20th of February and will most likely go into it fresh.
“Melberra Star had a month out and she is back in work and she will likely go fresh into the BM65 on Opal Day as well.
“She goes like a bomb first up over 1200m and all her wins have been at Canberra. She just doesn’t seem to run as well when she travels and we are hoping that is just a maturity thing.”
Jones says Darts Away is also being aimed at the Country Championships.
“He’s been back in three weeks after having a month out.
“He didn’t have the best of it in this most recent runs and I have good respect for this horse. He’s been giving weight to the older horse and in the Country Championships he will be down on the minimum.”
The well-bred Joseph-Jones debutant D’Beak failed to fire as favourite at the last Canberra meeting, but Jones says he is worth another chance.
“We thought he may need further, and initially I was disappointed. But the way the track evolved through the day I was a bit happier with the run.
“It was probably the most leader-biased surface I can remember at Canberra — which usually plays pretty fair.
“He is a lovely horse with a lot of ability.”
D’Beak will race again at Moruya on Monday over 1200m “a distance that will be more suitable” and will be joined by Chasing Charlie who was unlucky when missing by a whisker in Sunday’s Cowra Cup.
He will line up in the Town Plate and “… he’s going really well”
Debutant Archie’s Flat will also line up at Moruya. “He was bred by Mum (Barbara Joseph) and he has shown good ability at home and is working well.”
