The blue and gold hooped colours of OTI are sure to figure predominately be prominent in another staying feature race when Count Of Limonade looks to make it back-to-back country cup victories at Bendigo this Wednesday. OTI Racing have played a significant part in this year’s Caulfield Cup with Lidari and Brambles, saw the latest acquisition Au Revoir ran third in his Australian debut in Saturday’s Moonee Valley Cup and of course, secured the Moe Cup two weeks ago with their 5yo stallion. It was the first time since joining the Mick Price stables that the son of Duke Of Marmalade found himself with favourable conditions and a perfect club Boss ride helped him to capitalize on them. He on the second line of betting at $4.60 behind ruling favourite Order Of The Sun ($2.10). According to the market only two other horses are given a chance of claiming the $250k feature with Massiyn ($6.00) and Bring Something ($7.50)
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1. COUNT OF LIMONADE – G Boss (4) 58kgs
Found a nice spot in the run and enjoyed the cut out of the ground when scoring a long neck win in the Moe Cup (2050m) last start – his first Australian win for trainer Mick Price in five local starts since the start of the year. It was also his first trip here over 2000m, a distance range where from two starts overseas, he has a G3 third placing and three quarter of a length second at Listed level to his credit. Will settle in the right spot again and would love to see some give in the ground again.
Odds: $4.60
2. ANCIENT KING – L Meech (1) 56.5kgs
A dour stayer who has won one of his eight starts in Australia since coming from overseas and rounded out last campaign by running seventh (4.5 lengths) to Unchain My Heart in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (3200m). The 5yo gelding trained by Peter Moody has taken on some of the better staying races this campaign but has finished well back in each of them. He ran second to last in the G3 JRA Cup (2040m) and made little impression from the back of the field in the G2 Herbert Power (2400m) when tenth (8.9 lengths) from Big Memory. Drop in class will help as would some give in the track – his only local win was on a soft track – but needs to improve significantly on recent efforts.
Odds: $31.00
3. MASSIYN – C Schofield (6)
Settled well back in each of his first two runs back from a six month spell and made little ground in the run home finishing sixth (9.7 lengths) behind Kenjorwood in a 1700m Open at Caulfield before, at the same track, racing well out of his depth when tenth (7.1 lengths) to stable-mate Fawkner in WFA G1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m). His only start since saw him settle midfield on the fence in an Open handicap (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night. When the pace picked up down the side, he struggled to keep his position but inched ground back off the leaders in the run home, finishing fourth (2.1 lengths) to Pheidon. Ran second in this race last year (under the same weight to Sertorius) after contesting the Caulfield Stakes and last start should have him ready now for this. Australian record is poor (8:0-1-0) but finds a race where he may be able to improve those stats.
Odds: $6.00
4. ALI VITAL – V Duric (7) 56.5kgs.
Settled at the tail of the field and although he had to avoid a horse who had broken down rounding the turn, failed to make any ground in the run home when tenth (10.6 lengths) in the Geelong Cup (2400m) last start. That followed a much better effort in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (2025m) where he settled closer to the speed and stuck on to run sixth (two lengths) behind Mourinho, More Than Sacred and Le Roi – the latter two running well since. Each of his four wins have come in races of much easier grade than this and hard to include him after last start’s effort.
Odds: $34.00
5. ORDER OF THE SUN – K McEvoy (9) 56.5kgs
Jumped from 1350m of his first up run to the 2000m of a BM 90 at Rosehill at his second but met the challenge easily, leading throughout to record a dominant three length win over his six rivals including Grand Marshal (won Saturday) and Best Case who filled the placings. Only previous trip in Melbourne resulted in a commanding seven length win in the VRC St Leger (2800m) where again, he led throughout. Both starts at or beyond 2000m on good tracks have resulted in impressive wins and whilst he meets a stronger field here compared to either of the above runs, he’ll shoot over from his gate and give them plenty to chase.
Odds: $2.10
6. SURPASS – C Symons (5) 56.5kgs
Noted wet tracker who, on a firm surface, ran better than expected when fourth (3.4 lengths) to Like A Carousel in the Listed Harry White (2400m) two starts back before the 6yo gelding was specked in betting (12’s into 10’s) in the Moe Cup due to the slow track grading. He settled back in the field but made no impression in the run home, running tenth (7.7 lengths) behind Count Of Limonade. Meets Count Of Limonade no better at the weights had has too much ground to turn around.
Odds: $15.00
7. BRING SOMETHING – L Nolen (2) 56.5kgs
Ken Keys’ Sebring gelding recorded the third win of his career with a strong staying effort in a BM 84 (2400m) a fortnight ago; his third run back this prep. He made a sweeping run from a mid-field position as they left the 600m last start and was strong through the line, winning by a long neck with Amaverde second. A promising young stayer who will have no problems with the distance and he meets a field here of limited depth.
Odds: $7.50
8. KOURKAM – D Dunn (8) 56.5kgs
Lightly raced 5yo imported gelding who made it three wins from four Australian starts with a neck win in a BM 85 (1900m) at Rosehill two starts back, where he secured a nice run from gate four and finished a shade too strong for Foreign Prince and Grand Marshal. At his following start, the Tony McEvoy trained galloper started one of the more fancied runners in a BM 90 (2000m) at Randwick. He settled at the tail of the field before cutting the corner and being within striking distance of the leader’s turning however, his finishing effort over the final furlong was disappointing, and he crossed the line fifth of seven, almost eight lengths behind winner Order Of The Sun. Cannot see him turning the tables on that horse.
Odds: $10.00
9. CAVES – N Beriman (3) 56.5kgs
The 5yo mare recorded only her second win at start number twenty-three when taking out a Seymour BM 64 (2200m) a week and a half ago by a length. That win came at her third run in this prep and backed up good performance at her previous runs but they were all in races of a quality much less than this one and she looks to be aiming too high here.
Odds: $81.00
RACE OVERVIEW
Order Of The Sun will lead and prove hard to run down. Its Kerrin McEvoy’s first ride on the son of Encosta De Lago but there’s not match to him – allow him to roll along in front and let him slide from the 800m. Tracking him throughout will be Count Of Limonade from gate two. This will be his fourth run in this prep and last start, his first for almost four weeks, will see him at the top of his game for this. Track conditions may prove the difference as Order Of The Sun’s five wins have been all on firm ground – he hasn’t ran a place in five starts on tracks rated worse, whereas Count Of Limonade enjoys the give and will be hoping for a bit of rain. Massiyn’s back – with a similar prep to last year – and was doing his best work late last Friday night. This is the first time in a long time he finds himself in the right kind of race and his chances shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
- COUNT OF LIMONADE
- ORDER OF THE SUN
- MASSIYN
- BRING SOMETHING
