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A start in the Brisbane Cup will be the reward if promising Japanese import Wolfe can add another Sydney win to his record at Randwick on Saturday.
The Novellist 4YO, bred in Japan in 2015, was imported to Australia unraced and has since made an impression by winning three of his first four starts for the Waterhouse/Bott stable.
Wolfe won his first two provincial starts at Hawkesbury and Kembla Grange in the late spring before suffering his first loss when he resumed with a second over 1400m at Randwick on April 25.
The gelding bounced back from that loss to record a strong win over 1900m at Canterbury on May 8 under the topweight of 60.5kg, raising the prospect of an ambitious staying campaign over the winter months.
Those plans will be confirmed if Wolfe takes the next step on Saturday when he tackles the Cancer Foundation Handicap, a BM 78 event, over 2000m at Randwick.
It will be a good test for Wolfe as the race has attracted an unexpected strong contingent of four acceptors from interstate with the field including three horses who last raced in stronger company in Melbourne and another placed in open class at its most recent start at the Gold Coast.
Tim Clark, firmly entrenched as a mainstay rider for the Waterhouse/Bott stable, rode Wolfe in his Canterbury win and has retained the mount on Saturday.
The well-bred 4YO has a pedigree worthy of Group success in Australia as his dam is a G1-winning daughter of the great Japanese sire Sunday Silence.
Wolfe’s preparation has included an exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill last Saturday when he worked with another imported stayer Hush Writer. He shaded that classy performer at the finish of the gallop and backed up with a strong 1200m workout at Randwick during the week.
“Wolfe has come through his last win in great order,” Bott reported. “He is on track for his next start at Randwick with plans to head to the Brisbane Cup after that.”
The G2 Brisbane Cup will be run over 2400m at Eagle Farm on June 8. The Tattersall’s Cup, Caloundra Cup and Grafton Cup will then be on the horizon for the import.
Bott confirmed that Hush Writer, another Japanese-bred stayer who won in France when trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, is set to resume in the WJ McKell Cup over 2400m at Rosehill on Saturday week.
He has been placed in two of his four starts in Australia for Waterhouse and Bott, finishing second over 2500m at Flemington and third in the Ansett Classic over 2400m at Mornington in the spring.
Hush Writer was gelded and spelled after finishing ninth behind Avilius in the G3 Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington in October. Bott says he is ready to tackle 2400m first-up after three recent trials and his exhibition gallop.
“He has done plenty of work but it will only be a light campaign ahead of the spring. Pending his performance it might be the only run he has this preparation,” Bott said.
Bott said Hush Writer needed to be gelded due to his high strung nature.
"In the spring he was shooting himself in the foot before he raced,” Bott said.
