It hasn’t been the smoothest of preparations for Deltason, but Meryl Hayley thinks it can end on a positive note when her promising juvenile tackles the final big race of the two-year-old season at Ascot on Saturday.
After a late scratching in the Perth Stakes (1100m), Deltason missed out on a run in the Karrakatta Plate (1200m) by narrow prize money, but the gelding can regroup in the Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
Deltason goes into the final run of his campaign in winning form after breaking maiden status in dominant fashion on April 30, kicking clear and drawing away to win by 3 ¼ lengths when stepping up over 1400m.
Since making his debut in March, the son of I’m All The Talk always appeared to be a horse looking for more ground than 1000m and ticking the 1400m box last start has given Hayley a sharp confidence boost.
“We were really looking forward to the 1400m,” Hayley said on Tabradio.
“Like everyone else we knew he would get the trip and it was good to get him across the line to be honest.
“We were just praying there were no more barrier disasters with the horse.
“He’s been to the races a couple of times and not managed to get around.
“Every time he goes in the gates and comes out of them, we’re happy.
“Obviously we earmarked the Karrakatta and Sires with him but we just dipped out not having that run in the Perth Stakes.
“We’ll never know and it upwards and onwards, we just had to change tack through the prep and take a different route, and we still made it.”
Deltason has drawn wide in the Sires, barrier seven of nine, but Hayley is not fussed.
“He’ll obviously settle a couple of pairs back like he did last start and hopefully be hitting the line,” Hayley said.
“He’s fit as a fiddle and it’s a matter of keeping him mentally happy.”
Laqdar Ramoly, who ran third on the Kosta’s Crown in the 2022 Sires, maintains his association with Deltason.
Hayley says win, lose or draw, Deltason will enjoy a good break following the Sires, but is looking forward to his return later in the year as a three-year-old.
Backed by Ramoly’s assessment, she’s confident he will measure up in major races including the WA Guineas (1600m).
“Oh, absolutely,” Hayley said.
“Even Laqdar says the further the better.
“He’s such a quiet horse that settles really well.
“He’s never been flighty or over races.
“After Saturday he’ll go for a long break, and we’ll bring him back for some of the feature races as a three-year-old.”
If there’s a threat to Deltason in the Sires, Hayley says Just Too Fly, runner-up in the Perth Stakes and Karrakatta Plate and Fila Mia are the dangers.
Julio Santarelli