Annus Mirabilis to back up in the Bagot

Stuart Webb will delay giving Annus Mirabilis a break in the hope he can pick up a stakes race at Flemington.

Bought for a jumping career, Annus Mirabilis was successful over 2400m at Sandown last week with Webb announcing the gelding would be spelled.

But the trainer had already nominated Annus Mirabilis for Sunday’s Listed Bagot Handicap and after the gelding showed no ill-effects from the Sandown victory, he decided he could go around again.

“We can go on one more week,” Webb said.

“It’ll be silly to be sitting in a paddock when fit and well and when there’s that money about.”

Webb doesn’t see Sunday’s race as overly strong and the rise in distance won’t pose any problem.

He says it’s certainly not as strong as Bagot Handicaps of previous years and with the exception of the Darren Weir-trained Lord Van Percy, looks an even race.

“It was just by chance that I put him in and see how the race ended up,” Webb said.

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“He’s drawn well and outside of Lord Van Percy it’s a very even race.”

Annus Mirabilis was formerly raced by Lloyd Williams and was bought by a syndicate including Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons who was largely responsible for saving jumps racing in Victoria.

Webb had planned to give the gelding a short break while maintaining his fitness before embarking on a preparation aimed at jumps racing.

“He’s been terrific and jumping out of his skin since last week,” Webb said.

“We bought him as a jumper so we had planned on giving him three runs and to try and win that race at Sandown and then have a break.

“It’s only one more week and it’s not a full break he’ll be having anyway.

“He’s going off to the water walker to freshen up before we start a jumps campaign.

“If he runs up to what he did last week and hits the line hard he’ll competitive.

“The extra 400 metres will also be a bonus.”