Eramosa gets a promotion after earning the trust of Lee Hope

Eramosa
Eramosa’s impressive victory at Wangaratta has led to a promotion to benchmark 64 at Bendigo. Picture: Racing.com

FOLLOWING an impressive breakthrough at start ten for training pair Lee and Shannon Hope, four-year-old Eramosa steps straight into benchmark 64 grade on Wednesday with high expectations.

The gelding had nine previous starts where it had finished inside the first four on seven occasions, but following its last-start win at Wangaratta, the racing public are positive the victory can lead to bigger and better things for his talented galloper.

While Hope is giving his horse a chance to win in its second start at Bendigo, the trainer is keeping his expectations grounded for the gelding.

“Going into a 64, sometimes the horses struggle,” Hope told HorseBetting.com.au.

“I don’t know why, their strike rate is not as good, but the horse is going well so I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t show up well for this one.

“I’m pretty happy with him.”

Eramosa is the +550 third favourite at Crownbet.com.au to take out the Beach Party October 21 at Bendigo.

The win was a long-time coming for the four-year-old, who had placed four times from nine attempts previously prior to the Wangaratta break through.

Hope believes a step up in journey to 1600m was the key to unlocking Eramosa’s winning potential.

“He was looking for the mile,” the trainer said.

“He ran at Sandown two starts prior, and it was only a small field but he ended up pulling and was a little bit disappointing there.”

Following the failure at Sandown, Hope gave the gelding a three week break from the track and it paid instant dividends.

The horse placed at Kilmore, finishing just half a length behind the eventual winner Witsec, and went on to claim its maiden victory just two weeks later.

Hope believes the run prior to the Wangaratta breakthrough taught him what he needed to know about Eramosa.

“Then at Kilmore, we just learned a little bit about him. Then he notched up the mile very quietly and she went to the line pretty good.

“I’m not saying how good the horses she was against were, but she still looked quite nice at Wangaratta.”

While instant success in benchmark company could set the tone for what is to come in the gelding’s career, Hope is not getting ahead of himself heading into Eramosa’s most important start to date.

The trainer is happy to let the horse light its own path rather than set out framework for what it needs to achieve.

“We’re just taking him through his grades and see how it goes, it is just in little bits as we go.

“There’s no set plans with him, he’s a four-year-old, he’s not three.”

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