Stephen Farley is hoping a gear change and drop in distance can spark Gazza Guru back to top form in Thursday’s Gosford Gold Cup.
The seven-year-old gelding will head to the spelling paddock regardless of Thursday’s result, and Farley has decided to roll the dice and add blinkers for the first time in the $125,000 Listed provincial feature over 2100m.
Gazza Guru raced consistently through the spring with minor placings in the Wyong and Newcastle Cups and also the Craven Plate at weight-for-age.
However the gelding’s form has tapered off since with four unplaced efforts including a last-start seventh in the Summer Cup (2400m) at Rosehill.
“We’ve decided to try the blinkers to switch him on a bit more,” Farley said.
“You don’t want to be too far back around Gosford so hopefully with the blinkers on he can be a few pairs closer.”
While Gazza Guru will race in blinkers for the first time, Farley said the gelding had raced in pacifiers with a one-eyed blinker back in 2009 shortly after joining his stable because he used to run off the track.
“He’s worked in the blinkers leading up to the race and it seems to have switched him on a bit more,” Farley said.
“There looks to be a bit of speed so they should roll along, but you still don’t want to be back near last at Gosford.”
The Gosford Cup meeting is a twilight fixture on the NSW Central Coast with the main race to be run at 6.10pm (AEDT).
The Gai Waterhouse-trained King Lionheart is topweight with 59.5kg in a field which includes last-start Tatt’s Cup winner Straight Albert and last-start Summer Cup winner Yulalona.
Farley said Gazza Guru, who has 54kg and will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla from barrier nine, probably just struggled at the 2400m at his past two starts.
“But the horse seems well in himself and seems to be going along fine,” he said.
Farley is hoping to add the Gosford Cup to the Gosford Guineas he won at the track last year with stable star Sincero.
The dual Group One-winning Sincero has been back in work for two weeks in preparation for the Sydney autumn carnival.
AAP TURF
