The Jason Grimson-prepared son of Shadow Play has come up with the plum two barrier draw off the front row and is one of three runners Grimson will line-up in the time-honoured country feature.
Recent stable addition Sicario, who ran second in last Saturday night’s Bendigo Cup to stablemate Major Meister, and the well-performed Majestic Cruiser are the other Grimson runners.
Sicario has drawn the outside of the front row and Majestic Cruiser the outside of the back row.
But Grimson’s three runners has been trumped by Bendigo trainer Julie Douglas who has four starters ― Bernie Winkle, Kosimo, Rick Reilly and Interest Free.
One interesting runner is former Kiwi pacer Cranbourne who will make his Australian debut in the testing 2690m marathon to be run at 9.30pm.
Now prepared by Avenel horseman David Aiken, the seven-year-old son of Lincoln Royal has drawn barrier four and is a 12 times winner in New Zealand.
Aiken also has his stable star Max Delight, coming off a third in the Bendigo Cup and drawn the inside of the second row, in the race.
The other locally-trained hope is the Steve Duffy-trained Serg Blanco, a close-up second to the David Moran-trained Curly James in Sunday’s Cobram Pacing Cup.
Another visitor to Victoria contesting the cup is the NSW-trained Art Tutor, seventh to Major Meister in the Bendigo Cup, but beaten less than 10m.
14°C