Generalife Primed For All Age Assault

Time/Date - 15.45hrs local time/Saturday, April 18, 2015 Racecourse/Country - Royal Randwick/Australia
Surface/Distance - Turf/7f

Generalife steps up to Group One level for the first time in the Schweppes All Aged Stakes returns to seven furlongs at Royal Randwick, Australia, on Saturday, April 18.

The five-year-old, trained by John O'Shea, came with a strong late run to gain a nose success on his first start for four months in the Group Three Irresistible Pools & Spas Star Kingdom Stakes over six furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 28.

The son of Lonhro was a close fourth in a seven and a half furlong Listed race on November 29 and went down by a nose in the Group Three Kevin Heffernan Stakes over a furlong shorter at Sandown-Hillside on November 15.

Generalife posted a hat-trick of wins at Rosehill Gardens last season, including a pair of comfortable Listed victories at around seven furlongs.

James McDonald, who rode Generalife in the Irresistible Pools & Spas Star Kingdom Stakes, partners the Godolphin runner again.

John O'Shea said: "Generalife is in the best form of his career - he is extremely well and working brilliantly at home.

"Obviously, it is a massive jump in grade going to weight-for-age but he has had a previous start at weight-for-age and was desperately unlucky.

"He gets a big weight at his age and has drawn an awkward gate (nine) so will be back in the worst half of the field but hopefully he will run home nicely and get the chance to be in the money.

"If he is ever going to run well at Group One level, it will be here as we can't have him any better than we have him now."

Generalife lines up against 12 rivals including Terravista and Chautauqua, who were first and second in the Group One Darley Classic, Group One William Reid Stakes winner Lucky Hussler and Group One BECK Caulfield Guineas scorer Shooting To Win.