Trainer Ciaron Maher makes a Recommendation for barrier re-education for out-of-sorts star

Trainer Ciaron Maher has enlisted the assistance of renowned horseman Julien Welsh in a bid to help Recommendation regain the form that saw him dominate the Melbourne winter circuit last year.

Trainer Ciaron Maher is hoping to get Recommendation back in form to defend his Sir John Monash Stakes crown on Saturday. Pictures: Racing Photos

Recommendation has undergone barrier re-education to help the out-of-sorts sprinter start sharper and regain form.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Recommendation burst onto the Melbourne winter circuit last year with a seven-length Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) demolition.

He turned a blistering first-up performance into a Group 3 sprint hat-trick at Caulfield with subsequent wins in the Bletchingly Stakes and Heath Stakes.

Recommendation competed solidly in higher grade last spring but then only battled abroad in the Hong Kong Sprint.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

The five-year-old gelding returns to Caulfield third-up on Saturday to defend the Sir John Monash title after two lacklustre performances in Listed and Open company.

Recommendation has not been as sharp out of the barriers this time in compared to electric starts last year.

He missed the start a length at Flemington a fortnight ago and finished last of eight, beaten five lengths.

Maher stable representative Leigh Allen said Recommendation had benefited from the barrier refresh.

"It's daylight to the others."

Recommendation returns in fine style & destroys his opposition in the G3 Sir John Monash Stakes 💥 @cmaherracing@blake_shinnpic.twitter.com/SnUrfE2nTr

— Racing.com (@Racing) July 13, 2024

• Gilbert Gardiner’s horses to follow, forgive from Flemington on Saturday

“We sent him to Julien Welsh’s, had a bit of time there, and then had a piece of work (last Saturday),” Allen said.

“He’ll have a little pop out on Tuesday and hopefully we’re back on the right leg there.

“It’s nothing bad (barrier manners), not that he’s a rogue or anything, but he’s missed the start and from there (he’s on the back foot) as an on speed runner he needs to be thereabouts … as soon as he flops out of the barriers it’s game over basically.

“We’re hoping for an improved showing (in the Sir John Monash) … he’ll then target races similar to last preparation.”

"They're not going to get to him."

Recommendation becomes the third horse to complete Monash-Bletchingly double 🔥 @cmaherracing@blake_shinnpic.twitter.com/sy7TkUFOqk

— Racing.com (@Racing) July 27, 2024

• Revealed: Melbourne Cup set for major prizemoney boost

Allen said Recommendation had taken a bit of time to get up to speed this year, following the Hong Kong trip last December.

“It probably did take a lot out of him going to Hong Kong because he had a really good prep this time of year … took him a while to get over that so we’re trying to get him back in form,” Allen said.

The Maher stable saddled a treble at Flemington last Saturday, including the emerging stayer Shockletz.

Shockletz responds to @HTCoffey's urgings & claims Ant in the final bound in the Mahogany Challenge Final ⚡️@cmaherracingpic.twitter.com/coN9FNhiaC

— Racing.com (@Racing) July 5, 2025

• ‘Awesome again’: Stern Idol reigns supreme in Thackeray test

Allen said Shockletz, a rising four-year-old daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, had the potential to advance to the spring.

Shockletz has won three of her past five starts and just missed in a photo finish two back.

“She’s only a little slight thing … it’s all happened in a very short amount of time so she might not be one you quickly put into a good race,” Allen said.

“I’d imagine she’ll have a reset (freshen up for spring).”

Originally published as Trainer Ciaron Maher makes a Recommendation for barrier re-education for out-of-sorts star