Winter timing right for Sense Of Occasion

Tuesday 7 April 2015, 11:30am

Joe Pride expects Sense Of Occasion to reaffirm his staying promise this campaign as he heads towards some ambitious winter targets.

The four-year-old will resume on his home track at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, a meeting postponed 48 hours after the first day of The Championships was moved to Monday.

It will be Sense Of Occasion's first appearance since a disappointing four-start summer preparation in which he managed one minor placing.

Those results came after the horse had won three of his first seven starts for the Guy Walter stable and showed the sort of promise Pride said Sense Of Occasion could build on this time around.

"He was struggling in the summer months with the heat and humidity so I put him aside and kept him for some softer tracks and cooler conditions," Pride said.

"He will get that now.

"He's working really well, he is a very nice horse."

A winner up to 2200m, Sense Of Occasion will resume in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap over 1400m.

While it is short of his best distance, Pride believes the horse is fresh enough to be competitive in a race the trainer hopes can be a stepping stone towards the Scone and Brisbane carnivals.

"He's had no trial which does two things. It doesn't increase his fitness but it has him pretty fresh and sharp," Pride said.

"I'd expect him to run well."

Pride is hoping for an improved performance from Open Book, a two-time Group placegetter who made a lacklustre debut for his new stable at Randwick last start.

"He was very disappointing first-up. I'm hoping he can turn that around because he's a much better horse than that," Pride said.

"He works like Phar Lap."

Pride's Warwick Farm team also includes Mesmereyeser, who opposes Open Book in the Liverpool City Council Handicap, and Mr Manhattan in the Tab.com.au Handicap, a three-year-old who won his only start in December.

– AAP

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