Trainer Gerald Ryan won’t be launching Deploy’s Autumn Carnival campaign in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, but will test him over a shorter distance first up instead.
Deploy, above, will run in the Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Deploy was one of fourteen nominations for the Apollo Stakes but Ryan has opted to run the five year old in the Group 3 $150,000 Southern Cross Stakes over 1200m on the same program.
“I put him in the Apollo to see what it might look like but he’ll run in the 1200 metre race,” Ryan told AAP.
Deploy found some outstanding form during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival with recording breaking wins in the Group 3 $150,000 Suttons Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick and in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.
The Fastnet Rock gelding then took on the best sprinters in the land but could only finish ninth behind Redzel in the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14 before heading for the spelling paddock.
Ryan has plenty of options for Delpoy in the upcoming Autumn Carnival and has nominated the five year old for the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10 and the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 7, day one of The Championships.
In early betting for the Southern Cross Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au, Deploy has been marked as the $2.90 second favourite behind the Kris Lees trained Clearly Innocent at $2.70.
The Bjorn Baker trained Addictive Nature has been installed as the $4.60 favourite for the Apollo Stakes just ahead of Chris Waller’s Comin’ Through at $4.80.
The third pick at $6 is the Lees trained Prized Icon while Endless Drama and Siege Of Quebec share the next line of betting at $7.
Early betting for the 2018 Apollo Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Addictive Nature, $4.80 Comin’ Through, $6 Prized Icon, $7 Endless Drama, Siege Of Quebec, $8.50 Lanciato, $9.50 Global Glamour, $12 Stampede, $21 Classic Uniform, $41 Berdibek, Inference, Sense Of Occasion, $101 A lot Like Home.
