Fork in the road for staying prospect at Rosehill

Saturday shapes as an important day in the career of his staying prospect Fioprospero at Rosehill Gardens.

Fioprospero. Photo: Bradley Photos.

Saturday shapes as an important day in the career of staying prospect Fioprospero at Rosehill Gardens.

A son of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, Fioprospero only joined the team of trainer Matt Smith at the start of his current preparation, and he’s done nothing but please his trainer.

“I went through his form and watched his tapes when I got him, my first thoughts were he’ll stay this horse, and he looks like a stayer,” Smith said.

“The more we’ve done with him the more he’s impressed me.

“I like him as a horse. He’s a good style of a horse, got a good brain on him and he’s always worked well.”

Fioprospero heads into his upcoming assignment off an unlucky second at the same track over 2000 metre three weeks ago.

This time the four-year-old gelding steps up to the 2400m trip for the first time in his career when he tackles the Mostyn Coopper Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m).

“He’s going great,” Smith said.

“You never know until they do it but he gives me every indication he’s going to run the trip.

Last start he was badly held up in the straight, lost momentum but when he got into the clear he closed off so to be able to pick himself up, dust himself off and still find the line is a good indicator he might get further.

“This is the right race to try.”

Matt Smith. Photo: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images.

Fioprospero is an $8.50 chance with TAB.com.au while his last start conqueror Good Banter is the $4.40 favourite.

“If he shows us he can run the mile and a half on Saturday, it’s going to open up plenty more options for the horse going forward,” he said.

“He has the makings of being a nice horse for the stable in the new season.”

Meanwhile, Smith also revealed his big spring hopefuls Headwater and Waltham have returned to work as they continue to build towards their spring campaigns.

Headwater has The Everest aspirations and the plan is to resume in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on September 6 while Waltham is chasing a berth in the Melbourne Cup.

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