PETERS SENDS MORE STARS TO O'BRIEN

Danny O’Brien will prepare group 1 winners Western Empire and Regal Power when they eventually make their way to Victoria with a series of flight cancellations continuing to torment connections.

The pair’s owner Bob Peters confirmed on Tuesday the duo had been ready for some weeks to be put back into work, but he was still awaiting news on a potential flight east so as to get them into work with a view to some big races in the spring.

“We are still waiting on news of a plane as we were for the autumn,” Peters said. “Both horses are ready to go but when, we still don’t know.”

Flight problems from Perth to Melbourne halted 2020 All Star Mile winner Regal Power’s 2022 autumn campaign in the east but he too is ready to join Western Empire and veteran sprinter Stageman on a flight when one can be arranged.

“The three of them are ready to go across in a three-horse box but they (airlines) have said there are no boxes in WA, so we have to wait for one to come across,” he said. “It certainly is frustrating.”

Regal Power last raced in November when the winner of the G1 Kingston Town Stakes over the hot favourite Western Empire, who emerged from the race with a back injury and fetlock troubles, which required surgery.

Peters said Western Empire, who had won his previous six races going into the Kingston Town, including the G2 WATC Derby and G1 Railway Stakes, had recuperated from his injuries.

“I’ve him here at the property (Keysbrook Farm) and he’s just waiting around to do something,” he said. “He’s certainly ready to go back into work.”

Western Empire is likely to be nominated for the three spring majors of the Cox Plate, Caulfield and Melbourne Cups while Regal Power will take a weight-for-age path through the carnival.

He said the trio will go to O’Brien’s stables at Flemington and 13th Beach to join former stablemates of the quality of G1 performers Superstorm, Graceful Girl and Inspirational Girl.

Peters is awaiting on the track return of Showmanship, who’s comeback from an 18-month absence from racing at Sale earlier this month was cancelled due to the firm surface in the inaugural Country Discovery.

“Hopefully we can get him to Warrnambool for the Wangoom as long as the track has some cut in it,” he said.

“We won’t run him unless he gets a suitable track.”

Story by Andrew Eddy for Racing.com