Dean Lawson has delayed a final decision until Wednesday morning on whether promising three-year-old Mr Chard will kick off his spring campaign on a heavy (10) track at Sandown.The Al Samer colt is engaged in the Vite Cheval Hcp (1200m) at the Lakeside meeting after 32mm of rainfall for the week including 3mm overnight."At this stage he's running and I'll have a look at it in the morning but a heavy (10) is not ideal," Lawson said."I don't want to flatten him first-up. There is another option, a
Dean Lawson has delayed a final decision until Wednesday morning on whether promising three-year-old Mr Chard will kick off his spring campaign on a heavy (10) track at Sandown.
The Al Samer colt is engaged in the Vite Cheval Hcp (1200m) at the Lakeside meeting after 32mm of rainfall for the week including 3mm overnight.
"At this stage he's running and I'll have a look at it in the morning but a heavy (10) is not ideal," Lawson said.
"I don't want to flatten him first-up. There is another option, a 1000-metre race at Sandown the following Wednesday, but that will be too short for him. I'll talk to the owners about it tonight."
The Flemington trainer has nominated Mr Chard for the $1 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 9 but Lawson said the race was not his main aim.
"He has to prove he's up to that level yet, but there are plenty of other options such as the Stutt Stakes and the Carbine Club Stakes over the spring," he said.
"And as he's a Magic Millions horse he could have a break and go up to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Trophy (January 15).
Mr Chard will be ridden by Craig Williams on Wednesday replacing Glen Boss who can resume riding on Thursday after serving a careless riding suspension.
Boss rode Mr Chard when he broke through for his first win at his fourth start over 1410m on his home track on May 8 when he defeated Sistine Angel.
Sistine Angel was spelled after that race and won the Group Three McNeil Stakes (1200m) first-up at Caulfield late last month.
Boss also had the mount when Mr Chard finished runner-up to Precious Lorraine in the Listed Gibson Carmichael Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last start on May 15.
Lawson paid $18,000 for Mr Chard as a yearling and picked up his sister at this year's Adelaide Millions yearling sale for $9000.
He was attracted to the colt because he was very closely related to Cool Trent who Lawson bought as a yearling.
Lawson prepared Cool Trent to win at stakes level at Flemington as a two-year-old and be placed in the Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic and Blue Diamond Prelude before finishing runner-up to Innovation Girl in the 2002 Group Two Ascot Vale Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
"This horse looked like he would get further than Cool Trent," Lawson, who believes the colt will eventually get 2000m, said.