Adirondack chasing big Caulfield prize

Cranbourne trainer Shawn Mathrick is looking for another big pay day with Adirondack at Caulfield.

Last year Adirondack took out the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Heath (2000m), landing a $158,500 cheque.

Adirondack is back to defend the race on Saturday and Mathrick is confident he is up to the challenge even though he hasn’t won since last year’s success.

He said the horse’s last start in the Albury Cup should be forgotten because he wasn’t suited on the heavy track with his previous placing in the Stony Creek Cup on March 12 a much better indication of his form.

Adirondack was scheduled to run at Caulfield on April 8 but was in one of the races abandoned when a thunderstorm hit the course.

He came out two days later in a Cranbourne 1400m jump-out and spaced his rivals.

“He’s not a heavy track horse but he cantered away from them and won by 10 (lengths),” Mathrick said.

“He’s had a good gallop since and I can’t fault the horse.”

Mathrick bought the former Godolphin galloper for $16,000 and Adirondack has since won more than $300,000.

“With a bit of luck last year he should have won the Stony Creek Cup and he was unlucky in the Wagga Cup,” Mathrick said.

“This year I think the horse has gone to another level.”

Providing Adirondack runs well on Saturday, Mathrick is planning another assault on next month’s Wagga Cup with a possible trip to either Brisbane or Darwin to follow.

“I think he’d be a great horse for the Darwin Cup,” Mathrick said.

Mathrick will also be represented by Orujo in the Bel Esprit Stakes.

“The horse has got tons of ability but he’s been pulling up with a very high respiratory rate,” Mathrick said.

“He’s one of the fastest horses I’ve ever had in his trackwork.”