Chris Waller’s Winter Challenge winner Coup Ay Tee can claim what promises to be a tightly contested Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) this afternoon.
Photo by Racing and Sports
A crack field of middle-distance gallopers have assembled to chase the $150,000 prize and don’t be surprised if you’ll be able to throw a blanket over the top five or six when they hit the line.
Coup Aye Tee looks poised to run a very strong race, on the five-day back up from his fifth placing at Rosehill on Saturday over 1400m.
It was an interesting outing for Waller’s six-year-old who was uncharacteristically ridden forward before ultimately being beaten 3.8L by the impressive Honorius.
The run should have topped Coup Aye Tee off very nicely for this afternoon’s run. It netted him a weight-adjusted Timeform figure of 114, which was four pounds below his performance in the Winter Challenge back on August 3 where he lifted late to get past boom import Bayrir.
This carefully contrived plan from Waller is a proven method for middle-distance gallopers.
Less than a month ago Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley employed the same tactic with Pepperwood en route to winning the Coffs Harbour Cup, also over the mile.
Pepperwood ran unplaced five days prior at Doomben before heading to Coffs Harbour and running over the top of his rivals.
Coup Aye Tee has won over the mile before and Jason Collett goes back aboard today – he’s won four on this galloper and placed four times from 10 rides.
Collett will likely revert to the usual tactics aboard the horse and settle well back in the field which suits him much better.
Saturday’s run gives Coup Aye Tee a slight edge on his rivals today and I’m expecting a huge run.
Gai Waterhouse’s Kinnersley is the obvious danger underneath in-form jockey Tommy Berry.
He ran third in the Winter Challenge last start finishing less than a length behind Coup Aye Tee after leading most the trip.
Kinnersley meets Coup Aye Tee 1.5kg better off and should be close to his peak in this one fourth-up.
If he gets his own way in front, Coup Aye Tee will struggle to run him down.
Grant Allard’s Loaded looks to have struck a chord with punters following his win in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile 40 days ago, where he beat home subsequent Coffs Cup winner Pepperwood.
The win was his third in a row, and netted a weight-adjusted Timeform figure of 117 but the concern is he’s been given almost six weeks between runs.
Coming into a mile against this field will certainly test his fitness, but his form can’t be knocked and he could win this without surprising.
Paul Messara’s Mic Mac has attracted plenty of attention stepping up to this trip.
He was beaten 5.5L by Rain Affair in the Missile Stakes (1200m) 12 days ago but that was always going to be too sharp for him.
Conversely though the 1600m may be a bit of a stretch for him, he’s placed in one of two starts over this trip.
Still, he’ll be rock-hard fit and shapes as an each-way contender.
