It is a tale of two different stories after a crucial Great Southern Star “trial” at Menangle yesterday.
Defending champion Watts Up Partytime, now back with his original trainer Rickie Alchin, booked his trip back to Victoria by winning the trial in a 1min55.4sec mile.
But boom French import Kristal Josselyn will need to impress Luke McCarthy in a second Menangle trial next week to take a shot at the $250,000 Group 1 Great Southern Star at Melton on February 14.
McCarthy was happy with the six-year-old’s first Aussie public appearance when second to Watts Up Partytime.
“But it showed he wasn’t quite as fit as I thought, so he’ll need another trial before he races,” he said. “He’ll go around again next week (at Menangle).”
Kristal Josselyn, who won six races and over $520,000 in France, showed sparkling speed to lead yesterday’s 1609m trial with Watts Up Partytime on his back.
In the final stages, Watts Up Partytime came off his back and went on to win by 1.5m.
The closing splits were 56.5 and 27.7sec.
It means Kristal Josselyn won’t tackle the $75,000 Group 1 Kilmore Trotters’ Cup on Saturday week and have to go first-up into the Great Southern Star a week later.
It will all hinge on next Wednesday’s trial.
But Alchin said Watts Up Partytime was right on target.
“I was happy with the trial,” he said. “I’ll enter him for a race up here (Menangle) next week and for the big race at Kilmore and make a decision closer to it which way I go,” he said. “If he goes to Kilmore, I’ll take Lux Aeterna down with him.”
Watts Up Partytime has changed trainers twice since his upset win in last year’s Great Southern Star for Andy and Kate Gath.
He hasn’t raced since finishing ninth in a Melton race on October 18 for trainers Chris Lang and Sonia Mahar.
If Kristal Josselyn doesn’t show McCarthy he’s ready next week, “Plan B” could be to wait longer for the $60,000 Group 1 Grand Prix at Melton on February 28 anf the $100,000 Group 1 Hammerhead Mile at Menangle on March 14.
Gold Coast owner Norm Jenkin, who has won three Great Southern Stars (Tornado Valley in 2020 and ’21 and Majestuoso in 2022), said the $NZ600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge on April 10 was another logical target.
