Former 2YO Breeders Crown champion Flightpath could be set for a shock return to the racetrack after he returned in a trial at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Tuesday. Flightpath was sent to stud after winning nearly $300,000 in a 36-start career but owner Wayne Honan has decided to give the son of Artsplace another chance at racing at the grand old age of eleven.
Honan was pleased with Flightpath’s performance in the trial after finishing second behind Glenferrie Hood and will reassess his options later in the week.
“I was happy with his performance, it was his first major sprint up since being back in work so I will take him home for a couple of days and see how he handled it,” Honan said.
“If he doesn’t make it back then I’m comfortable with that, I had the property on the market and was unsure where to stand him so I thought I would give him a chance to race again.”
Honan is confident he will attract mares if he returns to stallion duties next season.
“He’ll get mares if he returns to stud but I’m interested to see how he copes, he has to learn to back off again because he got pretty fired up behind the mobile in the trial but his zest for racing seemed to be there, I guess time will tell.
“I took him to the Eugowra Show and I think he went 2:04 there so it didn’t really give me any guide where he was at but they went 1:54.8 in the trial and he hasn’t done any speed work so I’d expect him to improve off that.”
After spending several seasons at stud, Flightpath could be excused for carrying extra condition early on in his preparation but Honan is happy with his condition.
“He’s not too bad, there is a little bit extra there but to look at him he looks pretty athletic for a horse of his age.”
Flightpath’s dam Express Post finished second in the Bathurst Gold Tiara behind Yeronga Songbird and produced two other foals, Petousa and For Dear Life.
Some of the 34 winners Flightpath has sired include Alphitonia, Tulhurst Sarsha, Flytomo, Quagmire and Flight Express.
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