Deploy upstaged Dothraki to take out the 2017 Moreton Cup at Doomben this afternoon, but he will miss the Stradbroke Handicap next weekend.
Deploy recorded the biggest win of his racing career to date in the 2017 Moreton Cup. Photo by: Steve Hart
Deploy held-off Dothraki in the final stages of the Moreton Cup to secure ballot-exempt entry into the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) that will be run at Doomben next weekend, but connections will now be forced to pay a late entry-fee as he was not included in the Stradbroke Handicap acceptances that were released earlier in the week.
Gerald Ryan stable foreman Sterling Alexio said that connections will enjoy the Moreton Cup victory this afternoon before they make a decision on whether they elect to pay the late entry fee to get the Fastnet Rock gelding into the Stradbroke Handicap.
“At this stage he is a Group 2 winner and there are a lot of races that are suitable for him that he can go on to win,” Ryan said.
“There is no hurry to make a decision, Gerald and the owners can speak about whether he runs in the Stradbroke or not tomorrow or Monday.
“He has always shown super ability at home and he has come on leaps and bounds in his past two preparations.
“For him to come to a Group 2 today and Timmy to give him a great ride like that is super.”
Jockey Tim Clark gave Deploy a peach of a ride and Deploy’s Moreton Cup victory gave the in-form hoop a race-to-race double following his win on Snitty Kitty in the Lightning Handicap.
Clark said after the race that he believes the gelding operation has been the making of Deploy and he was clearly impressed with the fight that the horse showed in the final stages of the race.
“Ever since they have gelded him he has turned his form around,” Clark said.
“He made his own luck, Hughie laid it down to me early in the straight and it took me until the last 50 to shrug him off.
“Obviously the six kilos in weight pull really came in late.”
Gerald Ryan confirmed from Sydney that Deploy will definitely not run in the 2017 Stradbroke Handicap next weekend.
