O'BRIEN CHASING BREAKTHROUGH WERTHER WIN
Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes might finally be Young Werther’s time to shine.
The five-year-old has banked almost $1m in stakes despite only boasting a Geelong success on debut in his wins column but he has produced some terrific performances at Group 1 level.
Young Werther finished a length from Johnny Get Angry in the 2020 Victoria Derby at only his third start before a heartbreaking second to Explosive Jack in last year’s Australian Derby.
Young Werther ran subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Incentivise to a half-length when second in last year’s Turnbull Stakes, finishing ahead of Verry Elleegant, which later went on to win the Melbourne Cup.
All were mighty efforts but trainer Danny O’Brien is still chasing a Group 1 win with the exciting galloper, even if Young Werther has proven himself at the highest level.
“He got beaten by the bob of the head in the AJC Derby when he was in front before and again after the line,” O’Brien said.
“He ran up to win the Turnbull last year as well so in his last five runs, he’s been beaten a head in the Derby and it took Incentivise to beat him in last year’s Turnbull.”
Young Werther ran eighth in the 2021 Caulfield Cup but O’Brien withdrew the stayer from the Melbourne Cup after a CT scan revealed “an area of concern” in the horse.
O’Brien sent Young Werther for a spell, bypassing the autumn, which he said could be the making of the son of Tavistock.
“It’s really been a blessing in disguise because he was always a backward three-year-old and was just a little light horse,” O’Brien said.
“He was still a bit immature in the spring last year but now he’s had a year to furnish, he’s certainly a better horse than what he was.”
Young Werther showed the benefit of O’Brien’s patience when finishing less than two lengths from Makram under a big weight when resuming at Flemington on September 10.
O’Brien rated that effort superior to Young Werther’s lead-up run to last year’s Turnbull Stakes in which he finished a similar margin from Floating Artist.
“We’re very happy with him and he’s had the same prep run that he had last year going into it,” O’Brien said.
“He was off a long break and he just blew out late and he carried 61kg so it was a pleasing effort.
“He’s taken good improvement off that run.”
A sharp weight drop could be the final piece of the equation to get Young Werther over the line in the Turnbull Stakes.
Young Werther will carry the minimum weight under the set weights and penalties format of the $1m contest.
“He meets the horses against him better than he would in a weight-for-age race because some of them are carrying penalties,” O’Brien said.
“It will give him a little bit of an edge.”
TAB posted Young Werther as a $15 chance in its all-in market on the Turnbull Stakes.
Story by Brad Waters for Herald Sun
Pic by Racing Photos