After fighting out the finish of a recent race on Ballarat Cup day, Dollar For Dollar and Galaxy Raider are set to clash again at Flemington.
Dollar For Dollar resumed over 1600m in the benchmark 70 on November 19 and just held off the challenge from favourite Galaxy Raider to win by a nose.
Trainer Greg Eurell, who prepares Galaxy Raider, believes the track pattern that day didn’t favour his runner and is hopeful he can turn the tables with a swing in the weights in Saturday’s Cafe Adamo Handicap (1600m).
“There was a three kilo difference last time and there’s only one kilo between them this time,” Eurell said.
“He is in great shape and I thought his run at Ballarat was a super run considering the way the track was running that day. It didn’t help back markers and he still ran into it terrific.
“Hopefully he gets his opportunity at Flemington. He has led into this race really well and I think he’s going to be extremely competitive again.”
Galaxy Raider, who is having the fourth start of his campaign, has firmed from $2.60 to $2.10 with TAB fixed odds ahead of Dollar For Dollar at $3.60 in the field of eight.
Dollar For Dollar’s trainer Tony McEvoy was impressed by the lightly raced four-year-old’s fighting win at Ballarat at just his third start and first since April.
“It was a tremendous effort, first-up at a mile,” McEvoy said.
“He was an inexperienced horse taking on horses who were third-up at the mile but he showed great courage for us and that run has brought him on.”
Eurell is keen to assess Galaxy Raider again over 1600m on Saturday with a view to stepping him up to 2000m.
“It’s certainly in the back of my mind that it would worth trying to step him up over a bit more ground and exploring that avenue before he has a bit of a let-up,” Eurell said.
“If he shows us enough over 2000 metres it gives us a bit more insight and we can freshen him up and plan for something through the autumn.”
