Laurie looks to build on Sydney success after group 1 autumn blitz
Victorian trainer Matt Laurie is keen to build on his group 1 treble at the Sydney autumn carnival – on and off the track in NSW.
Laurie has two runners at Randwick on Saturday, and he hopes to set both on a path to the listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone on May 17.
Off the track, the Mornington trainer, still savouring his breakthrough Sydney group 1 wins with Treasurethe Moment (Vinery Stud Stakes and ATC Oaks) and Vinrock (ATC Sires' Produce), hopes to one day have a satellite stable in the state.
'I'd love to have a little barn up there, but God knows where I'd be able to get something,' said Laurie, who has submitted an expression of interest for Newcastle's proposed, but still unfunded, stable development.
'It's something that if the opportunity arose, we'd certainly take it on a small scale to begin with. It's just good to go to other places. You don't want to be stuck in the same zone.
'That's just something we've discussed, but then it's trying to settle on a place, then when you do, there's not much available.'
On Saturday, Laurie has Miss Icelandic ($7 Sportsbet) in race four, a benchmark 78 handicap over 1000m, and Sparkling ($8.50) in the seventh, a benchmark 78 over 1200m.
The mares, racing in NSW for the first time, are resuming after last-start efforts in Melbourne in early November. Laurie is eyeing a first black-type result for the pair after Saturday's test.
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