Trainer Tony Sears is hoping a leisurely summer will reap winter dividends for Toowoomba filly Ardoyne Road as supporters wait patiently for her race-track return.
The talented two-year-old has been off the scene since scoring a sizzling debut win at Doomben in December.
Ardoyne Road was immediately sent to the paddock by connections when she was found to be suffering from heat stress following the win.
An opportunity to tackle last month’s Magic Millions Classic and a possible Golden Slipper tilt have passed Ardoyne Road by, but Sears is in no rush to return her to work.
“She’ll be running in the winter,” Sears said.
“She is spending three months in the paddock and there’s no rush with her.
“There is nothing around for now and she is doing well spelling out at Gainsborough Lodge.
“She’ll come back into work next month when we’ll sit down and work out a winter program for her.”
Sears meanwhile is likely to aim in-form five-year-old Well Sighted at next month’s $20,000 Dalby Newmarket (1200m) after the gelding racked up his fourth straight win this campaign at Bunya Park on Monday.
Well Sighted earned ballot-free entry into the March 10 Newmarket when he fought off a brave challenge from runner-up Squeemi to narrowly win the Cannonball Handicap (1000m) for jockey Skye Bogenhber.
“It was a good win and he’s definitely putting it together this time in now he knows how to win,” Sears said.
“I knew Squeemi would be tough to beat over the 1000 and I told Skye to make sure they stayed in close touch with her.
“He’ll probably go to a 0MW in town next but he gets into the Newmarket as well now, so we’ll probably have a go at it with him.”
Well Sighted rounded off a winning hat-trick for Bogenhuber on the seven-race Dalby card.
She was also scored on the Paul Butterworth-trained Keen Instinct and Quiero who kicked off a winning race-to-race double for Sears.
[ARTICLE BY GLEN MCCULLOUGH VIA THE CHRONICLE]
TJ Sears Racing 