Escoffier is all set to sizzle despite potential to become middle-distance carnival contender

LEN Treloar is confident Escoffier can be a middle-distance carnival contender but will still be sharp enough to win over 1350m today.

Len Treloar has a three-pronged attack at today’s Doomben meeting. Picture: Mark Cranitch

METICULOUS planner Len Treloar is confident Escoffier can be a middle-distance carnival contender but will still be sharp enough to win over 1350m at Doomben today.

Escoffier is a winner up to 2100m, but the son of Lonhro has not raced beyond 1400m this time in.

“I know he can make a stayer, but I don’t want to get there yet,’’ Treloar said.

“A race like the Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) over the carnival would be right up his alley, but I’m not training him as a stayer this time in and that’s why he’s kept that sprint about him.’’

Treloar has two well-tried hopes at Doomben today, with Escoffier (Race 6) preceded by talented two-year-old No Problem (Race 1).

Excellent Al gives Treloar a three-pronged attack at the meeting, but he is at significantly inflated odds compared to the other two.

“No Problem is a horse I have a lot of time for and once we geld him, he has the potential to win some nice races at 1600m and further,’’ he said.

“He thrives on everything. He’s at a stage of his preparation where most two-year-olds would be putting up the white flag but he just says ‘bring it on’.

“I thought he was a little bit unlucky last start because he turned his head at the start and was two lengths further back than we wanted to be. He will be hard to beat if he’s in the right spot.’’

Len Treloar has a three-pronged attack at today’s Doomben meeting. Picture: Mark Cranitch

After returning to Australia from a successful seven-year stint in Singapore, the former Victorian chose the Sunshine Coast as his new base and promptly won the premiership in his first year.

Treloar was not fooled by that initial success and immediately ordered a clean-out of his stable runners.

“I got rid of 18 horses in two weeks,’’ he said. “They had reached their mark and I had to be honest with the owners. They weren’t going to pay their way and that’s not a good scenario for them or me.

“So the last couple of years has been a rebuilding process. You need horses capable of winning races in town and those results are starting to come through now.’’

Treloar has built a strong relationship with mature apprentice Geoff Goold, who rides his three runners today.

“Geoff is riding work for me every day now and he has a mind like a sponge,” Treloar said.

“We’re having good success at the moment because the relationship Geoff has with the horses.

“He learns about each horse’s strengths and weaknesses at trackwork and it means he’s not taking them out of their comfort zone on raceday.”