Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy will persist with a backmarker racing pattern with Chase The Rainbow in the Bill Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Chase The Rainbow will be having his first start on the tight, turning track in Friday night’s 1600-metre Group Two event but it holds no fears for Hore-Lacy.
“I think the Valley will suit him,” Hore-Lacy said.
“He will get back and start going around them at the half-mile (800m) and I think he will be strong at the finish.
“It looks a nice race for him and if he runs like he did last start he will be hard to beat.”
Chase The Rainbow has raced four times for two wins at Geelong and nearly made it a hat-trick at Flemington last start when he was ridden back for the first time in his career.
He settled last but came with barnstorming run over the last 400 metres, just failing in a photo-finish to snatch victory from Specter in the Listed Henry Bucks (1400m) at Flemington on September 3.
Hore-Lacy rates Chase The Rainbow a Caulfield Guineas and Victoria Derby prospect but is only running him in the Stutt Stakes after he was scratched from last Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield because of the firm track.
With rain falling in Melbourne on Wednesday and more forecast for the rest of the week, Hore-Lacy expects conditions to favour the grey on Friday night.
Notably four of the last six winners of the Stutt contested the Henry Bucks although last year’s winner Hollowlea also ran in the Guineas Prelude.
Dean Yendall has ridden Chase The Rainbow at his last three runs and will be chasing his biggest win when he partners him again in the Stutt which attracted just 10 acceptors.
Leon Corstens will play a double hand with Stephen Baster riding Zabeelionaire and Nick Hall on board last-start Bendigo winner Rahveel.
With Moment Of Change going for a spell, Peter Moody is left with Cute Emily as the stable hope while David Hayes will saddle up last-start Moonee Valley winner Whisper Downs, who beat Zabeelionaire.
AAP TURF
