Adelaide visitor in line for Monash honours

A lack of suitable races in his home state has forced Murray Bridge-based trainer Darryl Hewitt to look to Caulfield with two of his gallopers.

Consistent money spinner Sir Now heads to the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on Saturday while Snoopy Now runs as topweight in the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1700m).

Hewitt said he had been forced to look interstate, especially with Sir Now, who has been carrying big weights in races in his home state.

A winner of nine of his 24 races, with a further eight placings and over $400,000 in prize money, Sir Now has been weighted up to 65kg in recent outings before the claim of apprentice Alysha Warren.

“He can’t race here because there’s no races for him,” Hewitt said.

“He’s running around 65 kilos on his back, but he’s been pretty honest all the way through.

“Ideally you would stay in your own backyard as he’s been pretty competitive, but he deserves a chance over there.

“The track is going to be a soft five or six come Saturday, but he can handle heavy going, if it goes that way, and he comes down four-and-a-half or five kilos on his last run.”

Punters have stepped in to support Sir Now, firming from $15 to $6.50 in early betting.

Hewitt is no stranger to Victorian racing having been based out of Benalla around 20 years ago with a couple of horses – Merlot Now and Sparkling Now – who were similar types to the two horses competing at Caulfield on Saturday.

Merlot Now ‘outgrew’ Adelaide with his rating with Hewitt saying there was not the races available, which is something that is happening again with Sir Now.

It will be Sir Now’s second trip to Melbourne having run fifth at Flemington over 1000m on VRC Oaks Day.

“They came home pretty quick that day and we went over thinking it was going to be a wet track and it ended up being a Good 3, and he finished not far behind Rey Magnerio.

“He won’t disgrace himself over there on Saturday.”

Senior rider Connor Murtagh replaces Warren on Saturday.

Stablemate Snoopy Now is coming off a last start win in a benchmark 78 race and will be ridden by inform apprentice Jackson Radley.

Hewitt is concerned lining up against Melbourne opposition with the weight Snoopy Now has been tasked to carry.

“It’s like the SANFL over here, against the AFL over there, and we’re getting rated the same,” Hewitt said.

“He’s taking an 85 rating over there against other 85 rated horses that are racing against better quality week in, week out.”