Trainer John O’Shea will be out to cap a fruitful autumn with a strong team at Randwick.
A horse who has been the backbone of John O’Shea ‘s autumn and another who promises to be a future flagbearer will bid to close out the trainer’s carnival on a high.
Randwick Guineas winner Lion’s Roar comes off a superb Australian Derby placing to tackle the Frank Packer Plate (2000m), while Lost And Running makes a long-awaited transition to Saturday grade in the Fujitsu General Sprint (1200m).
Lion’s Roar will take his place after a substantial sale to Hong Kong fell through earlier this week and as markets suggest of an odds-on favourite, O’Shea expects him to be hard to beat.
“I’ve always been an advocate that the best run in the Derby wins the Frank Packer Plate, so it’s fair to say his was the best run in the Derby,” O’Shea said.
“Even going into the Derby, I felt he had a little bit of improvement again. He’s definitely not over the top.”
While Lion’s Roar is proving his mettle over middle distances, stablemate Lost And Running has emerged as a sprinter of promise.
The four-year-old has won four of his five starts, his only defeat coming at Canterbury earlier this month when he was nudged out by Saturday’s rival Enchanted Heart.
With a 1.5kg weight turnaround and on a roomier circuit, O’Shea is confident Lost And Running can return to the winner’s list.
“It’s a different scenario this week. He should get in a rhythm from a soft draw and there should be a fast speed,” he said.
“When he gets into that rhythm, he’s just so effective whereas at Canterbury the other day, by the time ‘Mac’ (jockey James Mcdonald ) got him back, it was time to get going again. He didn’t get a chance to travel.”
Lost And Running and Lion’s Roar will be among a quartet of Randwick runners for O’Shea along with All Hallows’ Eve in the J H B Carr Stakes and Rocha Clock in the Yarraman Park Handicap, both over 1400 metres.
