Special Reward gets no favours with a wide barrier in his long awaited return in Takeover Target Stakes

The patience of connections of comeback galloper Special Reward can be repaid when he resumes from an injury-enforced lay-off in the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford.

It’s taken nearly two years but veteran sprinter Special Reward is finally set for a comeback to racing in the Listed $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Newcastle on Saturday.

Trainer Kris Lees revealed rising nine-year-old Special Reward, a 10-time winner from 33 starts earning more than $1 million prizemoney, has recovered from a suspensory ligament injury that has kept the gelding sidelined for an extended period.

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Special Reward, winner of the Newcastle Newmarket and Southern Cross Stakes at Group 3 level, two Listed wins in the Carrington Stakes and Razor Sharp Stakes, and runner-up behind Sweet Deal in The Hunter, hasn’t raced since a close fifth to Showmanship in the Show County Quality 16 months ago.

“We’ve given Special Reward a long time off, probably longer than we needed,” Lees said.

All honours go to Special Reward in the Carrington Stakes, taking his prizemoney earnings over $1million! 🙌@Leesracing@SchofieldGlyn@[e-mail]/3gmWfTHjIy

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 22, 2022

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“There was no pressure from the owners (Australian Bloodstock) to rush Special Reward back to the races, we just wanted to do the right thing by the horse.

“At this stage of his preparation, he’s doing really well, he’s won both his barrier trials, and will get through the (heavy) ground.”

Special Reward, topweight with 59.5kg, has drawn the extreme outside barrier of 16 for the Takeover Target Stakes and is at $31 in early betting behind the Team Hawkes-trained Semillion at $4.60 favourite.

Lees also has Powerful Peg ($34) entered for the Takeover Target Stakes although the mare is a dual acceptor for the Listed $160,000 Silk Stocking (1400m) on the Sunshine Coast.

The champion Newcastle trainer has promising Tavi Time and Kind Words in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m).

Kind Words is not a certain starter as she also has entries for the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) at the Newcastle meeting and the Listed $160,000 Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) but Tavi Time is the $3.20 favourite.

Lees said boom galloper Tavi Time would appreciate getting out to 1600m after his last start fifth to Territory Express in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick last month.

“Tavi Time got around Mudgee and he has won at Canterbury and Taree but I would prefer him on a bigger track,” Lees said.

“He won well first-up then we had to run him twice at a distance (1400m) when he was looking for further.

“But the 1600m will suit him and hopefully he can hold a position closer to the speed rather than get too far back.”

Lees said he is unsure how much further he will extend Tavi Time’s autumn campaign as the long-term aim with the gelding is the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick during the spring carnival.

Originally published as Special Reward gets no favours with a wide barrier in his long awaited return in Takeover Target Stakes