Seven-year-old Gazza Guru will momentarily try to steal the limelight away from his Cox Plate-bound stablemate Sincero when he chases a breakthrough stakes win at Randwick on Saturday.
With minor placings in the Wyong and Newcastle Cups and Craven Plate at his past three starts, trainer Stephen Farley believes Saturday’s Listed Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) is the perfect race for Gazza Guru.
Farley is in Melbourne overseeing the Cox Plate preparation of dual Group One winner Sincero who had his first look at the Moonee Valley circuit on Tuesday morning.
But he is looking forward to Gazza Guru returning to handicap conditions at Randwick after chasing home Group One winners My Kingdom Of Fife and Shootoff at weight-for-age last start in the Craven Plate (2000m).
“It looks great form and he’s probably not a weight-for-age horse either,” Farley said.
“It (Craven Plate) was a nice race for him on the way to this race and he did a great job.
“This was the race I pinpointed for him after he ran third in the Newcastle Cup.”
Gazza Guru has the limit weight of 53kg and Farley is yet to lock in a jockey with a number of Sydney’s top hoops competing in Melbourne at the Caulfield Cup meeting.
The winner of six of his 55 starts, the son of Street Cry has never won over further than 1800m but showed in the Newcastle Cup (2300m) when a close third to Green Moon that he was capable of staying a trip.
“Had you asked me six or 12 months ago would he run 2400 metres, I would have said he wouldn’t run it down a well,” Farley said.
“But the way he is racing at the moment, if he’s ever going to get it then it’s going to be now.
“He’s relaxing really well and finding the line.
“He’s flying and is probably racing in the best form of his career.”
While Farley is hopeful Gazza Guru can score at stakes level for the first time, he is chasing a much greater prize with Sincero in Saturday week’s $3 million Cox Plate.
Farley said Sincero had come through Saturday’s Caulfield Stakes, where he finished fifth to Descarado, in great order.
Race jockey Chris O’Brien was at Moonee Valley to partner Sincero on Tuesday morning.
“He just trotted a lap and cantered a lap but he was nice and relaxed and we gave him a good walk around the enclosure and through the tunnel and he seemed to handle it all,” Farley said.
“Chris was here and he’ll come back down to ride him again on Thursday.”
Farley plans to give Sincero three trips to Moonee Valley to familiarise him with the track and surroundings ahead of the Cox Plate.
“He’ll do a bit more on Thursday and hopefully we’ll go back there next Tuesday morning as well,” he said.
AAP TURF
