2014 Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer worked home strongly to finish third behind Danas Best in a barrier trial over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick this morning.
The Offer made up plenty of ground late to finish second in a barrier trial behind stablemate Danas Best this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart
The Offer contested the opening barrier trial of the day and was settled at the tail of the field by jockey Tommy Berry, while stablemates Giuliani, Lightning Point and Danas Best took up the running in the early stages of the trial.
Berry kept The Offer under a heavy hold, but he was still able to make up plenty of ground in the final stages of the trial and weaved his way through the rest of the field to finish third behind Danas Best, who was given a squeeze by his jockey in the final 50 metres.
The barrier trial was The Offer’s first public appearance since his impressive 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign, where he took out the Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29, the Group 2 Chairmans Handicap (2600m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 before strolling to a dominant four lengths victory in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at the same venue a week later.
Waterhouse is yet to decide where The Offer will begin his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign, but he is expected to follow a traditional path to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 and contest the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18.
Danas Best was far from disgraced at the highest level during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, finishing seventh in the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) on September 19 and ninth in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 5, but had just one race start during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival when he finished fourth behind stablemate Ecuador in the TAB Rewards Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 15.
The Danasinga gelding was having his second barrier trial start this preparation after finishing sixth in a trial behind stablemate Under The Sun in a trial over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick on June 27.
The Offer ($15) is currently on the second line of the 2014 Caulfield Cup betting market at Ladbrokes Australia, behind Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance, while he is available at 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of $15 to give Waterhouse her second straight victory in ‘the race that stops a nation’.
