Veteran sprinter Royal Ida has recovered from a back ailment and will be at his top for the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.The rising 10-year-old pulled a muscle in his back when on the losing end of a three-way photo-finish to Reward For Effort and Keano when first-up in the Listed Monash Stakes on July 17.However he has responded well to treatment and thrilled trainer Luke Oliver with his work this week ahead of Saturday's 1200m feature."Everything seems on track and he should be
Veteran sprinter Royal Ida has recovered from a back ailment and will be at his top for the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.
The rising 10-year-old pulled a muscle in his back when on the losing end of a three-way photo-finish to Reward For Effort and Keano when first-up in the Listed Monash Stakes on July 17.
However he has responded well to treatment and thrilled trainer Luke Oliver with his work this week ahead of Saturday's 1200m feature.
"Everything seems on track and he should be spot-on, 100 per cent, on Saturday," Oliver said.
The winner of 18 races and $825,000 in stakes, Royal Ida galloped strongly at Caulfield on Tuesday fuelling Oliver's optimism that he will threaten in the Bletchingly.
"He had a really good gallop," Oliver said.
He said Royal Ida was "really sore" after the Monash and had chiropractic treatment the following Monday.
"After he galloped last Tuesday the chiropractor went over him again and was really happy with him," Oliver said.
Royal Ida, who won the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington on New Year's Day, is $11 to add to his 10 stakes wins.
Five horses are ahead of him in TAB Sportsbet's Bletchingly market which is topped by the Mick Price-trained Velocitea ($3.40).
AJC Australian Derby winner Shoot Out is $3.70 to launch his spring campaign with a victory while Tollesprit is $8, Elumino ($8.50), Keano ($9) and Stanzout ($10).
"There are some good horses there and it's going to be an exciting race," Oliver said, welcoming the challenge.
Elumino would be a fitting winner on the last day of the season for trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen.
The Melbourne Racing Club is honouring both of them for their respective Melbourne trainers and jockeys' premiership wins.
Moody is hoping for a rain-affected track to help Elumino against the top chances.
While the four-year-old mare has never won at stakes level, she was brilliant last start against a number of stakes performers when she landed a photo-finish victory in the All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington three weeks ago.
"It was a good win last start so we are striking while the iron is hot and running her on Saturday," Moody said.
"Shoot Out and Mick Price's good mare (Velocitea) are better than her but she is rock-hard and fit and if we get a slow track then that's her chance to catch them on an off day."