MURRAY HAS NOT RULED OUT SEVEN-DAY BACK UP IN 'BIG TWO'
PREDATORY PRICER burst into Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate contention after his comeback win in the $200,000 Group 2 Liston Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray has not ruled out starting Predatory Pricer in the Caulfield Cup and backing up a week later in the Cox Plate. “He has backed up before in seven days, so he can do anything because he’s so tough. I’d love to win the Cox Plate,” Murray said.
The Liston Stakes win on Predatory Pricer, $9.5, highlighted a successful treble for jockey Steven King, who also landed a double for trainer Mark Kavanagh on Raffaello, $14 and Cats Whisker, $6.5.
King could not have been more impressed with Predatory Pricer, a sharp firmer to $7.50 outright favorite for the Caulfield Cup with Mark Read’s IASBet.com and to $12 equal second favorite for the Cox Plate. “He just feels like a great horse underneath you. He’s very strong,” King said.
The comeback effort of Whobegotyou, which failed by a neck to overhaul Predatory Pricer, was equally impressive and he has retained clear-cut favoritism for the Cox Plate at $6.50 with IASBet.com.
Whobegotyou, backed from $5.50 to $5 despite a lack of pre-race confidence from the Kavanagh stable, reeled off terrific sectionals. He ran his final 800m in 45.55 seconds; 600m (33.78); 400m (22.19) and last 200m (11.31).
“With all due respect, I thought some other horses in the race would be fitter and there would be more pace,” Kavanagh said. “He ran above expectations. He always runs a good race, but he's pulled up with so much improvement in him.”
Typhoon Tracey, the heavily-backed $2.90 favorite, suffered her first defeat in six starts, but did not disappoint trainer Peter Moody or jockey Luke Nolen. “I thought she ran very, very well. They went along a bit quick for me as she is a horse you can't wait on. She will take a great deal of benefit from that," Nolan said.
OLIVER CALLS OFF FRENCH TRIP AFTER 15-MEETING SUSPENSION
CHAMPION jockey Damien Oliver will not appeal a 15-meeting suspension suffered at Caulfield which will cost him the chance to ride in France next weekend.
“France is now off,” said Oliver who pleaded guilty to careless riding on Vigor, which finished third to Raffaello in the 75th Anniversary of Remembrance Handicap.
“Damien took the wrong option on Vigor which caused bad trouble to three other horses,” senior steward Alan Reardon said. “He put his hands up and admitted responsibility.”
Oliver had accepted an invitation to compete in an international jockeys' series at seaside Deauville in France where he would have ridden against Christophe Soumillon, Olivier Peslier and Hong Kong-based Gerald Mosse and Olivier Doleuze and Japan's Yutake Take.
Oliver's suspension starts after the Sandown meeting today (Sunday) and he can resume riding on September 1. If Mark Kavanagh decides on a re-match with Predatory Prince in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on August 29 he will need to find a new jockey.
FEATURE RACES FROM CAULFIELD – AUGUST 15
LISTON STAKES
PREDATORY PRICER $9.5, 1; Whobegotyou $5, 2; Typhoon Tracy $2.9fav, 3.
COCKRAM STAKES
CATS WHISKER $6.5eqfav, 1; Annesong $6.5eqfav, 2; Flying Ruby $13, 3.
THREE FAVORITES and ONE EQUAL FAVORITE successful on the eight-race card.
UPSET WINS by HEARTLAND $31; CORSAIRE $15; RAFFAELLO $14.
