Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday is on trial for an Autumn Carnival campaign when he lines up in the Listed $100,000 Inglis Christmas Cup (2400m) on the Kensington track at Randwick on Saturday.
Maluckyday better suited over 2400m after finishing 41/4 lens 4th behind Travolta, above, in ATC Cup. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Joe Pride trained Maluckyday will line up in a depleted Christmas Cup field with only five of the eight final acceptors going to the post.
Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller will saddle up three of the runners, Hoylonny, Permit and Seccessio while Gerald Ryan will provide the other starter, restricted galloper Martinvast.
Pride will taking Maluckyday to the races for the fourth time after he narrowly escaped retirement when owner Nick Moraitis transferred him from the Team Hawkes stable after running seventh to Mourayan in this year’s Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 27.
And the Zabeel seven year old could be heading for a second Sydney Cup if he can perform well on Saturday.
“We’ll only get one crack t this grade before he has to go back to better company,” Pride told the Sportsman.
“I want to have him in the Autumn Carnival for races like the BMW and the Sydney Cup and winning a race like this with a big weight would tell me he’s on the right path.”
Maluckyday will have to carry 59kgs with Jay Ford to ride and is stepping to a more suitable 2400m after running fourth to Travolta in the Listed $100,000 Blackwoods Uvex Safety ATC Cup (2200m) at Rosehill on November 30.
“The step up to 2400m probably suits him more than most in the field,” Pride said.
“I’m confident he will improve two to three lengths and I am just hoping there will be some speed.”
Maluckyday became a headline horse when he forced his way into the 2010 Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington after winning the Group 3 $250,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Derby Day.
But a Melbourne Cup victory was denied when he failed by two and three quarter lengths to peg back French stayer Americain in the run to the line down the long Flemington straight.
Maluckyday is marked as a $5.50 chance in the five horses field that has Seccessio the favourite at $3 just ahead of stablemates Hoylonny ($3.20) and Permit ($5) with Martinvast the outsider of the field at $6.
