Playing a waiting game
It’s Caulfield Cup week and for us we’re playing a bit of a waiting game at the moment. True Self has definitely made the field, which is fantastic and I think with her style of racing she will really be suited to the race.
San Huberto is right on the cusp. A lot will depend on how two horses, who are behind him in the order of entry for the Caulfield Cup, run in the Coongy at Caulfield tomorrow. A win from either of the two favoured horses in that race could see them elevated above San Huberto, and by my reckoning that puts us as first emergency, so we’ll be eagerly waiting to see if we make the final field with him.
We call around the trainers to see what their intentions are with their horses nominated and most of the trainers are pretty good – they’ll tell you what they’re doing, if they even know themselves.
With these races, like the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup, the trainers are under a lot of pressure from connections to start, irrespective of whether they have a good chance in the race.
There’s two or three horses in the Caulfield Cup that you would say, really, are just making up the numbers but, to a lot of people, it’s a dream just to have a runner in the race.
One feature of Covid-19 is that we’ve been forced to take our celebrations online with our owners and after Future Score won the Cranbourne Cup on Sunday, we had a celebratory Zoom call with all his owners and Matt Cumani, which was wonderful.
With his win on Sunday, he has earned his way to a shot at a Melbourne Cup start via the Lexus where he’ll also be joined by Attorney, who won the Colin Stephen recently.
Attorney and Future Score are very much on the way up and will have their chance in the Lexus. They should change the name of that race to the Last Throw of the Dice Stakes, that’s pretty much what it is!
Last year we went there and we won it with Downdraft and hopefully one of these two can follow suit and win their way into the field on November 3.
It’s also Everest weekend in Sydney, and I think the race has been a fantastic addition to the calendar. Although there is no OTI interest in The Everest this year, these, what I call ‘pop-up races’ are very attractive to the OTI ownership model, because they’re great races for doing exactly what you have horses for, and that’s to race and win stake money.
Having a Group 1 for a gelding is all very nice but it doesn’t do anything other than give you a bit of status. If you asked me ‘would you rather run in the $500,000 Rosehill Cup or a Group 1 worth $300,000?’ We’d go the Rosehill Cup every time.
These pop up races are relatively new. And owners are actually finding them very appealing. Such as the All Star Mile, for example, and The Everest. The prestige these races carry is big.
But one thing that still very much holds its value is the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Our owners have always wanted to have a horse race through the carnival, regardless of the race. We know in this industry that bragging rights are very important and a runner in the Melbourne Cup carnival offers that more than anything else!
Weekend runners
True Self – Caulfield Cup: This is a race that will suit her and fingers crossed she can run a really big race. The reports have been good from Willie’s (Mullins) team and she’ll have every chance
San Huberto – Caulfield Cup: We’re sweating on a start but he’ll likely go to the Geelong Cup if he doesn’t make it. The Melbourne Cup is very much on his agenda
Azuro – St Leger: If he runs well then he could then go on to the Lexus – a race in which he ran well in last year. He then went on to win the Sandown Cup after it and we could target the Lexus with him this year
Attorney – St Leger: A horse very much on the up and if he continues his good form here after winning the Colin Stephen last time out he’ll have earned his shot at the Lexus