In-form trainer Darryl Dodson will make a decision later in the week regarding a start for smart stayer Finiguerra in Saturday’s second heat of the Banjo Paterson Series at Caulfield.
Dodson has won the Hamilton Cup (2200m) and the Listed Port Adelaide Cup (2500m) with Finiguerra in recent weeks as well as last Friday’s Mt Gambier Cup (2400m) with seven-year-old mare Swooper.
“We haven’t exactly decided yet but we’ll see how he comes through the next few days, but he’s a chance to be there,” said Dodson whose property is at Telopea Downs near the Victorian-South Australian border.
The Niello five-year-old gelding, who has won six of his 16 starts and just under $200,000 prizemoney, received 56kg in Saturday’s 2400m event.
If Dodson does make it to Caulfield with Finiguerra, he won’t have to worry about topweight Dance With her who left the Mornington stables of co-trainers David Brideoake and David Feek and arrived in Brisbane last week.
The in-form mare will run in Saturday’s Group Three Premier’s Cup (2200m) at Doomben.
“We’ll take our chance with her in the Premier’s Cup and assess how she goes on Saturday as we want to run her in the Brisbane Cup,” Feek said.
Dance With Her has won four of her six starts so far this preparation and is after a hat-trick following Listed victories in the Warrnambool Cup (2350m) and the Centaurea Stakes (2005m) at Morphettville.
The daughter of Al Maher received 60kg at Caulfield.
The Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) is at Eagle Farm on June 9.
Finiguerra finished 12th in the Warrnambool Cup in between his Hamilton Cup and Port Adelaide Cup wins.
Dodson prepared Swooper to finish second to Black And Bent in the final of the Banjo Paterson Series (2600m) at Flemington in July last year.
The trainer said Swooper was a chance to contest the final again but he wasn’t sure Finiguerra would be up that long.
“We’ll have to decide whether to have a go at it or pull back and maybe have a crack at the spring or next year’s Adelaide Cup,” Dodson said.
Ballarat Cup winner Domesky (58.5kg) will be the topweight while dual Warrnambool Cup winner Hissing Sid received 55.5kg, in-form mare Placement 55kg and Crabs 54.5kg.
The other 13 entries are on the minimum (54kg).
