Matthew Dale is set to stick with a Wagga Wagga Gold Cup start for Lebrechaun but an adverse barrier draw will see stablemate Unanimously race in Sydney.
The Dale-trained Lebrechaun came up with barrier 15 for Friday’s Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) while promising three-year-old Unanimously fared even worse with barrier 19 for Thursday’s Town Plate (1100m).
Dale also has Lebrechaun nominated for Saturday’s $100,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1900m) at Canterbury while Unanimously is entered for a 3YO Benchmark 75 Handicap (1100m).
“Unanimously looks like going to Sydney after a shocking draw in Wagga, that called our hand pretty easily,” Dale said.
“Lebrechaun looks like he’ll be going to Wagga, the wide barrier draw doesn’t influence him as much. He doesn’t like getting cluttered up and needs galloping room so that’s probably to his advantage.”
Lebrechaun won the Listed National Sprint (1400m) at Canberra first-up and was in the mix in the Group Two Ajax Stakes (third) and Group Three Doncaster Prelude (sixth) before coming in at the tail of the field as an outsider in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) last start.
“(The Wagga Wagga Cup) was always the plan with him this preparation,” Dale said.
“It was obviously disappointing the other day (in the Queen Elizabeth) but the wash up was that he pulled up remarkably well and he just didn’t handle the heavy 10.
“We didn’t expect him to win the Queen Elizabeth but we thought he would be competitive.
“He’s pulled up well and he’s a lot better suited back in this grade and on the limit weight (of 53kg).”
Dale had planned to target the Town Plate first-up with Unanimously, a race the trainer won with Little Shrek in 2006, but said there were plenty of options for the lightly-raced galloper this campaign.
Unanimously had a fruitful summer preparation which netted three wins and two placings from six starts, including two city victories.
“We’ll just see how he shapes up on Saturday,” Dale said.
“There’s a couple of options in Brisbane if he goes really well, or we could stay in Sydney for the winter because he’s a BOBS horse and there’s good prizemoney available.”
A final field of 16 plus three emergencies was declared for the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup while dual Group One winner Vision And Power heads the weights for the Lord Mayor’s Cup on 59kg with acceptances for the Canterbury meeting to be taken on Wednesday.
AAP TURF
