With an imposing record at Morphettville, trainer Andrew Homann has his eyes on the Adelaide Cup with stayer Darlamax.
Based at Bass, approximately 115km south-east of Melbourne, Homann will progress Darlamax’s campaign towards the 2023 Adelaide Cup in the Sweeney Estate Agents Williamstown Handicap (2500m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Darlamax is also an acceptor in Saturday’s Christmas Cup (2500m) at Murray Bridge, but Homann said he was favouring the Moonee Valley option.
“His main goal is the Adelaide Cup, so the more times he has to travel to Adelaide is one less time you are able to go,” Homann said.
“He loves Morphettville, but he’s never been set for a race here either, but as we know with horses, plans can change from day to day.
“He loves travelling. He’s very tough, as tough a horse that I have seen. There’s no bottom to him, you’d have to break him down to find the bottom and we don’t want to do that.”
Darlamax has seven wins to his credit, six of those coming at Morphettville or on the inner Morphettville Parks track, his most recent being at his last start on December 10 over 2500m.
The stayers only other victory was at Albury when he broke through for his maiden win.
Homann is a third-generation trainer who grew up in Warrnambool, had a stint in Cairns while he also worked with the Freedman brothers during their halcyon days looking after the likes of Schillaci, Durbridge and Mahogany.
He has 15 horses in work and rents boxes off Eric Musgrove at Bass where he has access to two beaches, Musgrove’s track and pool while he floats his horses to Pakenham for a serious gallop.
“This horse lives at the beach,” Homann said.
“The horse is going quite well and all his runs this campaign have all been about his run last time and going forward.
“We wanted a good base fitness in the horse before we stepped him out in trip.
“We thought his run at Canterbury was quite good with the big weight and that trip away brought him on a bit and the trip to Adelaide has helped him again.”
