Exciting jumper Monarch Chimes is almost certain to make a return visit to Australia.
“We haven’t made a firm decision, but it’s very much looking like he will go to Victoria again,” said Emma-Lee Browne, who trains with her husband David.
“We’re looking at the Australian Hurdles at Sandown, we’ve spoken to a lot of people and they all think he’ll be suited to it.
“It’s worth a lot of money and you don’t get to run for that every day. He’s doing that well at the moment so we don’t really see any reason not to have a crack.”
A winner over jumps and twice placed in Australia during a three-start autumn campaign, Monarch Chimes resumed over fences with a dashing victory in Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay Hurdles (3100m).
“He came home and ate all his dinner and he’s really bouncing around,” Browne said.
Monarch Chimes would again be stabled at the Cranbourne base of former Cambridge trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
“He’ll be going back to a place he knows, Trent and Natalie have been brilliant to us, we can’t thank them enough,” Browne said.
Meanwhile, a trip to Sydney this week beckons Monarch Chimes’ stablemate and last-start Te Teko winner Mofara.
“There’s a Rating 70 three-year-old race over 1400m for him at Randwick on Saturday,” Browne said. “It might seem odd to go for a Rating 70 race, but it’s worth A$100,000.
“We think a lot of him and he’s working brilliantly. There’s also the option to back him up a week later in another A$100,000 if he goes okay.
“Travelling does them no harm and he’ll come back a more rounded horse. It’s worth a shot.”
