Reuben Percival is a chance of winning back-to-back Stayers Cups at Rosehill after Gai Waterhouse decided to throw a late entry in on Tuesday.
Reuben Percival arrived back in Sydney on Monday after finishing fifth in last Saturday’s Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m).
He will be monitored this week before a decision is made on whether he starts in Saturday’s Stayers Cup (3200m).
The New Zealand-bred gelding won the $100,000 event by five lengths last year.
“No decision has been made but we thought the entries were a bit light on and he has come through the Brisbane Cup well and travelled back to Sydney well,” Waterhouse’s racing manager Bruce Slade said.
“Depending on how he does, Gai will make a decision later in the week.
“He won the race well last year and certainly the two miles won’t be a problem. He’ll stay all day.”
Reuben Percival was the only addition to the nine original nominations with stablemate Once Were Wild given topweight of 59kg.
Reuben Percival has 57.5kg along with Adroitly while the remainder are weighted on the limit of 54kg.
Three-year-old Reigning is set to return to Sydney on Wednesday with trainer Con Karakatsanis looking to challenge the colt against the older horses over the gruelling journey.
Karakatsanis said Reigning had come through his Queensland Derby run last Saturday in extremely good fashion.
“At this stage if he travels well we’ll head that way (to the Stayers Cup),” Karakatsanis said.
Reigning finished in the top half of the 18-horse Group One Queensland Derby field over 2400m, coming in 5-1/2 lengths behind winner Brambles in eighth place.
“I thought it was an extremely good run in the Derby. It’s just a shame the weather came a day late,” Karakatsanis said.
“He’s a mudlark and loves the wet but the rain came after the Derby.
“He may not have had the most ability in a race like that but he tried his heart out and I know he can stay.”
Karakatsanis said the Stayers Cup, one of only two 3200m races in Sydney each season, was a good opportunity to test the son of Choisir.
“The reason why I’m looking to run him is that it’s hard to find any race over that sort of distance, and that’s what he is looking for,” Karakatsanis said.
The Significant Prelude-2YO Handicap (1800m) has been added to the Rosehill program.
The staying race for juveniles was to be run on Monday at Randwick but the meeting was washed out.
