There is little between the top three in the market for the Schweppes Handicap at Randwick but Star Thoroughbred’s Denise Martin knows better than to harbour lofty expectations when it comes to two-year-olds.
Crossbow will sport Star’s well known purple and white silks, the youngster on the third line of betting at $4.20 behind $2.50 favourite Pillow Fight and last start winner Tomato Toastie ($3.60).
The trio are the only runners in the field of nine at single-figure odds and Crossbow brings handy formlines to the race.
Gelded after finishing down the track behind subsequent Golden Slipper placegetter Wodeton in January, he put the writing on the wall when powering home to just miss behind another Chris Waller-trained barn mate in Central Coast at Canterbury last month.
“He’s a lovely horse. He ran second to one last start that is beautifully bred, by Wootton Bassett out of Sunlight,” Martin said, referring to the blue-blooded winner.
“Chris has been very happy with him. He has trialled well and raced well and we look as though we’re going to get a decent track and small field.
“He is a really handsome, almost black horse. He’s by Better Than Ready and he’s got a really nice way about him. It’s a good race for him after the nice run at Canterbury.”
Jason Collett will partner Crossbow from barrier one and while Martin is optimistic, she admits she takes nothing for granted when it comes to babies.
Along with Pillow Fight, a debut winner at Canterbury who finished fifth in Listed company at Eagle Farm last start, Crossbow’s rivals will include Tulloch Lodge filly Tomato Toastie and three unexposed juveniles.
“All I know is when you’ve got two-year-olds and there are unraced horses, you don’t know whether your horse is running against Usain Bolt or me,” Martin said.
“You just don’t know what they’re up against.”
The Randwick race will be one of the final chances for the current crop of two-year-olds to post a Saturday city win before the end of the season on July 31.
