Trainer Ben Ahrens is sweating on a genuine tempo in Thursday’s Listed Grafton Cup as Spechenka chases his third black-type staying feature of the season.
“The pace of the race is my biggest concern leading into it,” Ahrens said, with Spechenka a noted backmarker.
“There doesn’t look like being a huge amount of pressure up front.”
Spechenka returned to the winner’s circle in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) last start, adding the Sunshine Coast feature to his Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) victory at Randwick earlier in the season.
Spechenka ran down Ipswich Cup winner Gold In Dubai in the Caloundra Cup and Ahrens believes Gold In Dubai could pose the biggest danger again if he gets his own way in front.
“It would be good if it’s a genuine staying test but it could come to nothing if it’s a sit and sprint,” Ahrens said.
“If it’s a true staying event then I think he’ll show further improvement from Caloundra.”
Ahrens considered running Spechenka in last Saturday’s Queensland Cup (3200m) but believed the Listed Grafton event over 2350m was a better option after setbacks plagued the early part of the gelding’s campaign.
“With the preparation he had had it was a little bit of a risk to go to 3200 metres and we thought the Grafton Cup was a better fit even though this looks a tougher race,” Ahrens said.
“We’ve got plans down the track for the horse to hopefully go to Sydney and maybe on to Melbourne (in the spring) so if he’s going to do that he’d have to measure up in the Grafton Cup anyway.”
Spechenka was at $8 with TAB Sportsbet on Tuesday with the Chris Waller-trained The Verminator favourite at $3.80 ahead of Shuffle The Cash ($4), Gold In Dubai ($5.50) and Summarise ($6.50).
Five-year-old Spechenka had started three times during the Queensland winter carnival without success before the Caloundra Cup, but Ahrens never lost confidence in the stayer.
“It wasn’t really a surprise or a reversal of form, it was just that he finally got back to a distance he likes and his fitness was up to the mark,” the Beaudesert trainer said.
Ahrens has the Newcastle Cup (2300m) and Metropolitan (2400m) as spring options in NSW, with a Melbourne trip also on the cards after that if he can measure up.
And while Ahrens opted to miss the 3200m contest at Eagle Farm last week, Spechenka could get his chance at the distance on the first Tuesday in November if his form warrants it.
“Ideally I think 3200 will be a good distance for him,” Ahrens said.
AAP TURF
