Trainer Jason Coyle knows how good Chateaux Park is on dry tracks which is why he’s not worried about his horse performing in the Kensington track on Wednesday.
The Ocean Park five-year-old has, like all horses of late, been racing on very wet tracks in Sydney and doing well on them.
But he’s back on fast ground now for an 1800m race and has placed five times from 10 starts on Good-rated surfaces. He’s not just a mud runner.
“His form reads like he appreciates those rain-affected surfaces but I’m not flustered. He shows a good turn of foot at home on tracks that are better than that,” Coyle said.
“His current good track form might not be the perfect guide but he’s done well on good tracks. Sometimes they win on heavy tracks and all off a sudden they’re just a wet tracker.
“I thought his win a few starts back on a real testing surface was good and he was probably a bit unlucky the other day.
“Had we cut the corner instead of going around them we probably threaten the winner so he’s racing in good order and it looks like a nice race for him.”
Going up to 1800m is also appealing for Chateaux Park and Jason Collett will ride him once again.
“He’s won over 1800m and I always thought he’d get 10 furlongs (2000m) but time will tell,” Coyle said.
“We’ve just been steady with him and he races like he’ll get 2000m but sometimes it’s a tempo thing with horses who just enjoy that more solid tempo.
“The testing tracks he’s been on have made those mile races feel more like 1800m anyway.”
Twice As Special runs in the sixth race for Coyle and she’s third-up after running three quarters of a length sixth at Randwick two weeks ago.
“If we had any luck or had drawn a gate last start I don’t think we’d be back at the midweeks and that she’d be staying in Saturday company,” Coyle said.
“She’s come back in really good order and holding her back to those shorter sprint trips has been good for her.
“Those short sprint trips are giving her a better opportunity to hit the line.”