Steve O’Dea puts Sesar to the test in Coolmore Stud Stakes

Eagle Farm trainer Steve O’Dea hasn’t had time for nerves to set in about Sesar’s shot at Group 1 glory in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.

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HAVING border hopped to watch his winners in Victoria and NSW this week, Brisbane trainer Steve O’Dea says he hasn’t had time for nerves to set in about Sesar’s Group 1 tilt on the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday, where he is an $8 chance.

The past week has continued O’Dea’s whirlwind start to the new season, Doubt Defying winning last Sunday’s Sale Cup and Navy winning at Randwick’s Kensington track on Wednesday.

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It has capped a remarkable month, which began when Doubt Defying and Sesar gave O’Dea a maiden Randwick double.

“We’ve had a really good start to the season. But we had a lot of runners those first couple of months,” he said. “We had some nice restricted horses and we were able to place them well and get some results but obviously this month has been extra good.

“I’ve been able to travel horses away and it was the first time I was able to get a winner at Randwick with Doubt Defying and then to get a stakes win (Sesar) on the same day.

“Then we’ve won the Sale Cup in Victoria, so it’s been a good month for firsts.”

O’Dea has upped the ante in the past couple of seasons.

He was averaging about 30 winners a year until the stable netted 50 in 2016-17, before leading in a career-best 73 last term. But in only three months of the new season, his runners have won nearly half as much money as they did for the entire last season.

“The stable size has got a little bit bigger,” O’Dea said. “I’ve got really good support from good clients, I’ve got a good team in place and it all marries together to get the results.”

Sesar dashes away to win the Roman Consul Stakes at Randwick. Picture: AAP

His clients include Aquis Farm and Jamie Walter’s Proven Thoroughbreds, who are both part of Sesar’s ownership.

Sesar’s win in the Roman Consul matched the previous career best for O’Dea of Sir Moments’ Group 2 Queensland Guineas win. Now he’s hunting Group 1 glory.

He concedes Derby day at Flemington is a long way from his origins in Townsville.

“Obviously Melbourne spring carnival is the ultimate. To have a chance in a Group 1 race like that on Saturday is definitely pretty exciting,” he said.

“I was half having a think about it the other day.

Trainer Steve O’Dea hopes his stable’s good form can continue at Flemington with Seasr in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. Picture: Getty Images

“I can’t even remember where I hoped to be or where I expected to be when I started training on my own. But look, it’s definitely what you work towards and aim for.”

O’Dea was initially going to have Sesar running in the Carbine Club Stakes on Saturday, but after assessing the Roman Consul win and seeing how highly some of the rating agencies had him, the decision was made to have a shot at the Coolmore.

“He’s a colt and the Coolmore is known as a stallion-making race,” he said.

“We had a think about it and at least we were able to give him a month between runs and keep him on the fresh side for 1200m.

“We thought it was well worth having a throw at the stumps.”