John O’Shea could win two of the biggest prizes in Australian racing within an hour of each other on Saturday as Lost And Running looks for Everest glory before Maximal and Benaud chase the Caulfield Cup.
There is a calmness around O’Shea leading into a week when he will have to split his time between Sydney and Melbourne. It comes from a preparation — in the case of Lost And Running, the second pick in Everest betting — that has been more than a year in the making and just continues to get better.
Lost And Running proves too strong down the outside in the Premiere Stakes at Royal Randwick.Credit:Getty
However, it was more of a surprise for Australian Derby runner-up Benaud, who is second favourite for the Caulfield Cup.
“With Benaud the target was the Metropolitan, but we couldn’t run him there because of a little problem, and it opened up the Caulfield Cup option,” O’Shea said. “He is going so well and was so good on Saturday [when strong through the line behind Anamoe in the Might and Power Stakes] that we can go into that race with confidence with him and Maximal.
“It will be a big day and week for the stable. But when things are running smoothly it makes it easier, I will go down to Melbourne on Wednesday just to check on those two horses for the Caulfield Cup.”
Lost And Running, who was fourth behind Nature Strip in The Everest a year ago, is certainly a more mature and better sprinter going into Saturday. His Premiere Stakes win was gritty on a heavy track that wasn’t to his liking, but it showed how far he has come in 12 months.
Maximal is one of O’Shea’s two strong Caulfield Cup hopes.Credit:Nick Moir
“His two lead-up runs have been perfect, and I will watch him do his final work on Tuesday morning and hopefully it will be like the rest of the preparation,” O’Shea said.
“We knew last year he would be better in 12 months and there is no doubt he is, and the preparation has been flawless. If we get an improving track, it could get very exciting with him on Saturday.”
Pepper shakes off ‘unfair’ Kosciuszko deal for Opal Ridge
Luke Pepper is a man of his convictions and that is why his star filly Opal Ridge was winning the Tapp-Craig on Saturday and is not running in the $2 million Kosciuszko next weekend.
Two slotholders made offers to Pepper and his owners for The Kosciuszko, which favoured the lucky drawer rather than the men who have paid the bills for the past couple of years.
Opal Ridge has won four from seven starts and amassed more than $440,000 in prizemoney with a big 2023 ahead.Credit:Getty
“We had a deal that we thought was fair, that everyone could share in racing a horse that I believe would be a top-three hope in The Kosciuszko,” Pepper said.
“But they wanted to push a deal that would see my owners racing for nothing if they didn’t run in the first five, which I thought was unfair. In the end, I did what was best for my owners and my horse, and we can wait for next year.”
Opal Ridge is heading for a spell with four wins from seven starts and almost $450,000 in stakes with the Country Championships and group racing on the agenda in 2023.
“She is going to improve with a break. She is already a horse that does things others I have can’t, and I can’t wait to see what she can do in the future,” Pepper said.
Leap To Fame on Eureka trail
Leap To Fame seems certain to be the first horse confirmed for next year’s $2.1 million The Eureka after completing a sweep of the eastern seaboard classics in comprehensive fashion in the Victoria Derby at Melton on Saturday.
He had already won the NSW and Queensland Derbies, but Melton will be seen as a crowning moment. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon took Leap To Fame straight to the front on Saturday night and held off all challengers with a 27.5-second third quarter before running 28.8 home to win easily.
“We love him to bits,” Dixon said.
“We have thought since the NSW Derby he is the best horse we had, and hope we can take him all the way.
“I think he ticks all the boxes. He has great manners, great gait, great speed and great stamina.”
Leap To Fame will contest the NSW Breeders Challenge and the Breeders’ Crown to finish his three-year-old campaign before a plan for 2023 will be made. It will culminate with The Eureka slot race in September, where his owners Kevin and Kay Seymour hold one of the 10 $100,000 slots.
Williamsburg gets his chance in rescheduled Gloaming
Gloaming Stakes favourite Williamsburg will line up in the rescheduled group 3 at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, despite the drop in distance from 1800m to the mile.
Williamsburg thunders down the outside to win the Dulcify Stakes at Randwick.Credit:Getty
The end goal of the Spring Champion Stakes on October 22 dictates he has to run according to co-trainer Sterling Alexiou.
“The drop in trip isn’t ideal for us but at least he will have hope to get home from back in the field at Warwick Farm,” Alexiou said.
“The way the track was playing on Saturday, he would have had no hope and would have been going around for practice.
“He needs to have another run to have him ready for the Spring Champion, which is the race we have been focused on this campaign.
“I think every runner in the race has the same problem.”
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