International visitor The Gold Trail is the clear-cut favourite to earn the Caulfield Cup exemption up for grabs in the Mornington Cup.
His trainer Charlie Appleby has already had experience of the Caulfield Cup, also over 2400m, with Scottish running second to Jameka last year.
The race is again at the forefront for the Godolphin trainer who said The Gold Trail had done well during his quarantine in Sydney and his trip to Victoria.
“The Gold Trail has travelled down well. He was out in Dubai for the winter so it wasn’t as long a journey as from Europe,” Appleby said.
“He has travelled down to Werribee well and is in good order.
Going into the race he’s drawn well in 6 of 16 so we’ve got a nice draw for Craig Williams.”
“Craig is riding plenty of winners at the moment and has European experience which is what this horse needs.
“There is plenty of excitement going into the Mornington Cup for Godolphin and myself.
“It’s a win and you’re in for the Caulfield Cup which is why we’ve picked this race and aimed for it for some time.”
Lindsay Park co-trainer Tom Dabernig is wary of The Gold Trail but expects Boom Time can make his presence felt with an important gear change.
“Boom Time is in great order and he goes into a one-eyed blinker for the first time,” Dabernig said.
“He sort of ducks in in the straight when the pressure is put on him, so the one-eyed blinker might just keep him straighter.”
Boom Time won the Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) at Caulfield before running sixth in the Group One Australian Cup.
“The Gold Trail has got all the big wraps on him, so it will be intriguing to see what he can do,” Dabernig said.
“But our bloke is really hard fit and in great order, so he’ll definitely be thereabouts.”
Boom Time’s stablemate Almoonqith, topweight with 60kg, was a fast-finishing fourth in last year’s Caulfield Cup before his sixth in the Melbourne Cup.
But he hasn’t beaten a runner home this preparation in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) and Roy Higgins Quality (2500m).
He will jump from the outside barrier if the emergencies don’t gain a start.
“That gate is going to be a bit tricky with him and he’s going to need a bit of luck,” Dabernig said.
While tactics have yet to be decided, he may have to get back from the draw or risk a tough run if he gets posted wide.
“With the weight and the barrier it’s not straight forward but the horse is really well,” Dabernig said.
“And if he was to find his form of his Caulfield Cup run or his Geelong Cup win, he could win it.”
