3 minute read

Canberra trainer Nick Olive is preparing a nice team of younger horses for spring and summer campaigns, headed by Black Opal Stakes runner-up Sizzling Belle.

Sizzling Belle was given a long spell in Queensland following a busy 2yo campaign and returned to Canberra in tip-top order, according to Olive.

“She’s being set for the $2 million Magic Millions three year old race on the Gold Coast in January,” he said.

“She’s in light work and it will be a couple of months before she returns to the track.”

Over the years, Olive has proved adept in purchasing quality performers at the Magic Millions sales, at reasonable prices, including horses the calibre of Group 1 winner Single Gaze, and Capital Commander.

Olive is also looking forward to the return of his now 3yo, Dreaming Of Biscay, who is more forward in her work than Sizzling Belle.

“The filly worked well on the grass this morning (Tuesday) and is about a month away from racing.”

Olive has always had an opinion of Dreaming Of Biscay.

She was beaten 1.9L in the Black Opal and was last seen in the Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial on the Gold Coast, finishing less than two length behind the topical third-placegetter, Lean Mean Machine.

Lightly-raced 4yo mare Maid Of Ore resumes for Olive at Moruya on Friday off a Cl1 win at Nowra. Olive believes she’s a horse with some promise.

“There looks to be some nice prospects among my 2yos but I am not pushing them yet,” he said.

On Friday week in Canberra, Olive will be looking for back-to-back wins in the Tony Campbell Cup with Bring A Secret, who proved too good FU in last Friday's BM 80 in the capital.