We may be moving away from Flemington but the Cups racing continues in Victoria with today's NMIT Kyneton Cup (race 7).
Photo by Racing and Sports
The 2000m handicap has drawn together some of the second tier gallopers dodging the bigger races during Cup week but there doesn't look too many chances after scratching in today's race.
The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra combination will saddle up talented galloper Lucky Eighty Eight, who last November kicked off a string of four consecutive wins over the summer before a spell.
This spring, he was aimed at feature distance races and looked on track to feature in them after finishing third in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes over 2000m at Caulfield.
There he sat off the speed but ran on well to finish 2.3 length from December Draw, who then won in Group 1 class.
From there Lucky Eighty Eight was tested for the first time over 2400m in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes.
After drawing wide and raced up to sit third early before coming under pressure around the bend and finishing ninth behind Shewan.
He didn't have many favours in the run but seemingly just didn't run the extra two furlongs.
Back to 2000m last time, he raced in the Group 3 David Jones Cup and this time drew better and sat second early.
He turned third but again was disappointing in the run home, finishing a 5.5 length seventh behind Foretella.
That was his first “failure” at 2000m. Before then from four tries he has won three and placed in Group 3 class in the other.
Today he drops back further in grade and gets another chance.
He has drawn wide but comes in several places after scratchings and should be camped just off the pace.
The gelding is far better than his last couple of runs suggest and on his effort three back rates clearly on top for this.
The Mick Kent trained Red Buttons won the race last years and he looks on track to defend his title after a good effort last time.
The gelding was a solid fourth third up over a mile at Moonee Valley then improved last time when out to 2025m on his home track of Cranbourne.
There he settled off the speed but ran on well and just missed.
He will be fitter again, has a great record at the journey and has won his only try at the track and trip in this race last year.
He should prove hard to hold out.
Promising galloper Sertorius is flying and looks a danger with his light weight.
The son of Galileo placed at his first three runs form a spell before a seven length smashing of his rivals over 1700m at Geelong last time.
This is a far tougher assignment but he is bred to run the extra trip and drops 6kg on the easy win.
Hawks Bay is a super honest galloper with an excellent record at the trip and is ready to show his best after two runs back.
He looks the other leading contender despite a wide big and wide gate.
He won the Darwin Cup over 2000m four starts back with 62kg.
