The Stayer’s Cup at Rosehill this Saturday looked in danger of descending into a farce and potentially not even running with just five horses nominated when entries closed.
The Australian Turf Club extended the deadline with hope of at least a couple more appearing from the woodwork and they’ll be very pleased with the total field now more than doubling.
The attraction of a weak looking $100,000 race has attracted enough horses that it’s now probably not weak in slightest.
There are 12 horses currently on the list and three of them belong to premiership leader Chris Waller.
Waller already had Strike One nominated but has now added Patrician’s Glory and Our Cannavaro into the mix as well.
David Payne is another to come in late with three-year-old staying prospect Ranchero.
Ranchero is sired by High Chaparral, the same sire as So You Think, and has run just four times in his career.
Amazingly his longest trip is 1800m so the 3200m trek will be a huge ask so early into his career.
A horse that will almost certainly struggle with the two miles is veteran galloper Newport.
He has also being thrown in by Paul Perry but after finishing a mile away in his last half a dozen races the question must be asked, what will it take for Perry to stop persisting with this former Group 1 champion?.