Autumn Classic a guide to Astoria’s G1 prospects

A pair of G1 targets could be ahead of the classically-bred colt Astoria if he runs up to expectations in the G2 Autumn Classic at Caulfield on Saturday, 24 February.

After resuming with an encouraging third placing at Caufield on Saturday, 10 February, Astoria (Damian Lane) steps up in distance and class for his latest assignment with plenty of stable confidence backing his prospects.

“This is looking like a good race for him ahead of the Australian Guineas, even though there’s only a week between the two races,” said trainer James Cummings.

The G1 Australian Guineas will be run at Flemington on Saturday, 3 March.

 Astoria was having his first start since finishing third in the G1 Victoria Derby last spring and Cummings says he has improved since and will continue to do so.

“Being three-wide on the circle at Caulfield didn’t suit him but he still finished a good third,” he said.

“If he advances on that this weekend, then we’ll be thinking about the Guineas the following week.

“He was placed in the Derby in Melbourne in the spring and with natural improvement and maturity we’ll be looking at the ATC Derby in April.”

Another promising Godolphin three-year-old, Regimen, gets her autumn campaign underway in the G2 Typhoon Tracy Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday, 23 February.

A winner at three of her first four starts, Regimen (Craig Williams) has shown herself capable of graduating to Stakes class and Cummings will use Friday night’s race as a guide to her autumn program.