Geelong Cup roughie Fanatic is on trial for a start in the Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7 when former the New Zealand stayer steps out at Geelong today.
Gallic Chieftain, above, is the favourite for the Geelong Cup at Geelong. Photo by Steve Hart.
Fanatic is rated a $21 chance at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 3 $300,000 Geelong Cup (2400m) and the Lindsay Park Team is confident the five year old will run a good race.
The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig are still on a high after saddling up $51 outsider Boom Time to win last Saturday’s Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield.
Fanatic is coming off a last start sixth to Lord Fandango in the Group 2 $400,000 Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 14 and Lindsay Park’s racing manager Rayan Moore said that a win in today’s Geelong Cup would see Fanatic join stablemate Boom Time in the Melbourne Cup.
“If she managed to win then we would go full steam ahead to a Melbourne Cup. If not we will lower our goals a little bit,” Moore told the Geelong Advertiser.
“I’d say she would be a rung below (the top stayers) at this stage. But going into the Caulfield Cup we thought maybe Boom Time would be a Group 3, Group 2 horse at best and he really surprised us.
“When they are in form and raring to go they can surprise.
“She is down in the ballot (39th for the Melbourne Cup). She would need to win here and then maybe even run at Flemington in the Lexus Stakes (to get in).”
Fanatic is a proven stayer with a win over 2400m in the 2016 Group 1 NZ$300,000 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham in New Zealand and the stable is expecting a solid performance over the mile and a half today.
“She’s a Group 1 winner in New Zealand and we are happy with how she is ticking along,” Moore said.
“We a pretty confident she will acquit herself really well.”
Michael Walker will ride Fanatic who will jump from barrier three in the twelve horse Geelong Cup field.
The Darren Weir trained Gallic Chieftain is the well backed favourite at $2.90 for the Geelong Cup and has drawn next to Fanatic at gate two with Craig Williams in the saddle.
Williams will be replacing Dean Yendall who was aboard Gallic Chieftain last start when he beat Fanatic home when third in the Herbert Power Stakes.
Yendall has taken the mount on the Archie Alexander trained Wheal Leisure (barrier 7) who is marked at $7.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
