Highclere horses on the move
By Ben Sporle (Racing.com)
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Australia has confirmed the move of three highly credentialled stayers from the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Lord Belvedere and Bartholomeu Dias have been transferred to Annabel Neasham this week, while the promising Durston will now be trained by Chris Waller.
"We've still got horses with Ciaron and David, it's just that a couple didn't fire last preparation and we thought a change of environment might jazz them up a bit and might get us a change of luck," Highclere Australia managing director Tony Fleiter explained.
"Lord Belvedere and Bartholomeu Dias, they won themselves a couple of races last year but probably didn't handle the step up in distance, so Annabel will just start with a clean canvas with them."
Lord Belvedere had been down to trial at Warwick Farm on Thursday but instead will trial next week before a return to the races early in 2022.
Global Gift, who last contested the Peninsula Cup in October, will remain with Maher and Eustace.
Durston, who has had just two Australian starts and won his most recent race at Caulfield in October, defeating Mankayan, has subsequently been recovering from a suspensory injury.
"He had an issue with a suspensory after that and went from a break," Fleiter said.
"He is back in work, but we are going to take things slowly and make sure everything is as it should be ... he will hopefully be back later in the autumn."
In other Highclere news, Great House has returned to training after finishing 13th in the Melbourne Cup.
"Great House is back in work and we're hoping he can pick up where he left off," said Fleiter.
"He won the Lexus and it wasn't ideal running him on the Saturday and backing up into the Melbourne Cup, but we were very happy and the owners over the moon with what he achieved last preparation and Chris has got every confidence in him.
"He will be given his chance in a race like the Sydney Cup if he does what we think he might do in the lead-up races."