Luck in running is the key to success for Bandipur in Saturday’s Group 3 $160,000 The Big Screen Company Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield after the four year old drew the outside gate in the nine horse field.

Bandipur, above, needs plenty of luck from the outside barrier in the 2019 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Bandipur, above, needs plenty of luck from the outside barrier in the 2019 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Damien Oliver takes over the reins from Craig Williams and the three times Melbourne Cup winner has been given the job to find a nice trailing position for the Richard Laming trained gelding.

“The draw hasn’t been kind to us again, he’s drawn nine, but Ollie goes on and if he can get some luck in running, if he can get in three wide with some cover, he’ll give it a shake,” Laming told AAP.

Bandiour was off loaded from the powerful Godolphin stable after winning eight of his twenty starts carrying the famous royal blue colours and the gelding has had one run for Laming after stable clients picked up the gelding at the 2019 Gold Coast National Racehorse Sales in early June.

The Cranbourne trainer can see plenty of improvement on Bandiour’s sixth to Oak Door in the Group 3 $160,000 Ladbrokes Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 13.

“He put on a lot of weight in a short amount of time when he came into my yard and we’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time about him,” Laming said.

“I was very happy with his first-up run.”

“He didn’t get a lot of luck in the run, he was wide with no cover and lost a little momentum on the corner, but wasn’t beaten all that far.”

Bandipur is marked at $11 at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Bletchingly Stakes while the Team Hawkes trained Sesar is the dominant $1.80 favourite.

Sesar has had one run back from a spell for a comfortable first up win in the $125,000 Moët & Chandon Imperial Winter Dash (1200m) at Randwick on June 22.

Michael Walker replaces Christian Reith on Sesar who has drawn barrier three in the Bletchingly Stakes.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.