General Truce finds himself in a familiar role in Saturday’s Listed WJ Adams Stakes at Caulfield.
The six-year-old is an underdog in the 1000m sprint, but that doesn’t concern trainer Ricky Maund.
He noted after General Truce won the Listed Kensington Stakes as a $16 chance two weeks ago that his charge had flown under the radar.
General Truce winning the Kensington Stakes at Flemington ridden by Chris Symons and trained by Ricky Maund - (photo by Steven Dowden/Race Horse Photos Australia)
General Truce is at $19 in the WJ Adams with promising three-year-old Lord Of The Sky a dominant even-money favourite.
In a career which has netted nine wins and 17 placings from 48 starts, General Truce has won four times at stakes level and each time he has been at double-figure odds.
Maund is surprised General Truce is at such odds for Saturday’s race and expects the sprinter to give a good sight for his supporters.
“I’m as confident going into this as what I was going into his first-up run the other day,” Maund said.
“The only query I had last start was the inside gate at Flemington but he overcame that and was too strong for them after getting a good ride.”
General Truce will most likely progress to the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at his next start.
The timing of the Oakleigh Plate on February 22 and the weight he’ll carry compared to the weight-for-age Lightning Stakes a week earlier has Maund favouring that option.
General Truce has topweight of 60kg in Saturday’s event and will be giving 6kg to the favourite.
The Robbie Laing-trained Lord Of The Sky powered to a 6-1/2-length all the way win at Caulfield in a midweek race earlier this month and is also being aimed at the Oakleigh Plate.
Lord Of The Sky is unbeaten in three 1000m starts at Caulfield.
“On paper this race doesn’t look any harder than the Flemington race last start, but there is the standout horse of Robbie Laing’s that makes his own luck by going forward,” Maund said.
Maund has been pleased with the way General Truce has come through his first-up win, and the gelding will be ridden again by Andrew Mallyon who re-united with the sprinter last start for stakes success.
Laing, meanwhile, says Lord Of The Sky looks great heading into his first stakes test.
“It’s probably the best I’ve had him,” Laing said.
