The Greg Hickman trained Pierata has won six of his 15 starts earning over $2.7 million and was last seen finishing third in ta top class renewal of the Group I VRC Sprint Classic.
His best wins to date have come in the Group II ATC Missile Stakes, Group III ATC
Sydney Stakes and Bill Ritchie Stakes as well as last year's Magic Millions 3YO
Guineas, but a Group I win has so far proven elusive.He just returned to work following a spell at Torryburn Stud and Greg Hickman will now seek to address that missing Group I win in 2019
"He came back yesterday and looks enormous," Hickman told Racenet.
"He's come back with nice coverage.
"If you look at the picture when he went out and the one when he came back you can see a more mature horse.
"I'm looking at him now over the box and I think wow.
"His jowl has got stronger, his neck has got thicker and this will be his preparation hopefully."
Hickman will plan a program that will see Pierata race exclusively in Sydney during the autumn, targeted at three Group I weight-for-age sprints.
"He's a very athletic horse and his movements are very good," he said.
"When we got on him this morning, he launched six foot in the air, took a leap and a bound.
"He'll have two trials leading into the three races we're looking to target. The ATC Canterbury Stakes, TJ Smith (Stakes) and All aged Stakes."
A highly desirable stallion prospect, Pierata is a half-brother to Group III winner Ashokan from Group III winning Flying Spur mare November Flight from a daughter of champion sire Zabeel.
He is the fastest son of Pierro, who has already sired 13 stakes-winners from his first two crops including three Group I winners in Arcadia Queen, Pinot and Levendi.
