BACK TO BUSINESS FOR O'BRIEN STARS

Trainer Danny O’Brien’s spring group 1 winners Vow And Declare and Miami Bound have shown their elite talents extend to the feed bin with the pair each putting on as much as 50 kilograms since that memorable first week in November.

During that week, Vow And Declare won the stable a Melbourne Cup and two days later Miami Bound took the Kennedy Oaks with the pair celebrating over the next few weeks by eating.

‘’They shared a paddock but they certainly didn’t take each other’s food,’’ explained assistant trainer Ben Gleeson. ‘’They ate as much as they could.

‘’Vow And Declare did have a bit of a break. He actually put 50 kilograms on. He’s clearly come out of that Melbourne Cup in really good condition.

‘’He and Miami Bound were in the same paddock for a couple of weeks and both put on 40 or 50 kilos so we’re really happy with the way they have spelled.

‘’They have just started to kick off their gallops this week. It will be a steady build up for them.

‘’Vow certainly looks a more furnished staying type of horses now. A really strong stayer that you want to see him furnish into.

‘’Miami Bound is looking more like a mare now rather than a little filly. She’s not high in stature but certainly in her physique she has furnished and its really exciting the autumn ahead.’’

Miami Bound’s major autumn aim is the ATC Oaks in Sydney and it is expected she will be ready to begin her campaign in the group 2 $200,000 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on February 22.

‘’She’s probably got targets towards the end of February and we’ll probably kick other off on Blue Diamond Stakes day,’’ Gleeson said.

The group 1 $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April is the major goal for Vow And Declare.

‘’With Vow (And Declare) we’ll probably take a little more time with him,’’ Gleeson said. ‘’He’ll head to Geelong for an exhibition gallop in late February and then progress him up to Sydney.’’

The four-year-old mare My Pendant runs first-up for the stable in Saturday’s feature at Flemington, the listed Kensington Stakes, and while the 1000-metre race is certain to test, the stable believes she can make an impact.

‘’She’s had a couple of trials now and they have been positive,’’ Gleeson said. ‘’She’s in similar shape to what she was first-up last prep and she put in such a good run up the straight here when she ran second to a pretty good filly in Sylvia’s Mother.

‘’The 1000 metres obviously could be a little be sharp for her but she’s in good shape and we think she’ll be hitting the line strongly.

‘’We won’t be bustling her out quick. Obviously some of those 1000-metre horses are rock-hard fit so we’ll let her sit there where’s she’s comfy – which will most likely be a the tail end – and you just hope they go quick enough to let her run on.

‘’She’s definitely showed she’s got the class.’’

Banquo is on a path to the Australian Guineas and Gleeson said he was expected to spring well fresh in the 1100-metre Salvation Army Disaster Appeal Handicap at Flemington.

‘’He is a horse we’ve taken a similar approach with as with Vow And Declare so we haven’t given him a break at all,’’ Gleeson said. ‘’He’s been in work since the spring down in Barown Heads. The horses can go down there and tick over and really be refreshed in the mind.

‘’He’s put on 30 kilograms while he’s been in work which has shown he’s really thrived.’’

Story by Jayne Ivil and Andrew Eddy for Racing.com

Pic by Racing Photos