Melbourne Cup campaign continues at Flemington for Megablast
ONE thing is clear when we spoke with trainer Nigel Tiley in Melbourne on Wednesday – Megablast will be wanting the rain to come in the spring.
The New Zealand stayer showed its ability when running second in the Silver Thomas Hanley Plate at Moonee Valley last Saturday, but that came on an unsuited track and its superior wet track form speaks for itself.
“He’s come through that run very well, it was a good effort, but he’s a better horse with a bit of cut in the ground,” Tiley told HorseBetting.com.au.
“He strides out a bit bitter when it’s looser, but he’s still competitive on top of the ground.”
Cold temperatures and rain is expected at Flemington this Saturday which will help Megablast – having won seven of its 21 starts in the wet.
“The track at this stage is rated good, but there is rain predicted for the day and unless they get rain on the day at Flemington it remains because it drains so well,” Tiley said. “If we get the predicted rain it will certainly help him.”
Megablast was a brilliant nine-length winner at Ellerslie before running on the much smaller track at Moonee Valley, but Flemington will allow the free-striding to type to fully extend.
“That was always going to be the question mark (handling Moonee Valley), but he handled it well,” Tiley said. “He’s won at Riccarton, Trentham and Ellerslie, so he’s won on the big track and that will help him.”
Megablast will be having its final Melbourne run this Saturday before heading back home, but the plan will be to return later this year for its ultimate target of running in the 2017 Melbourne Cup.
“I think he’s good enough for the carnival and there’s plenty on offer,” Tiley said. “The owners want him nominated for the Cup and Saturday will give us an idea where he sits.
“He will go back to New Zealand after this run and we’ll keep him ticking over at the beach and plot a plan where we go with him.
“The fact that he got around The Valley would suggest he would get around Caulfield alright if he went there.”
Tiley couldn’t confirm whether the Avondale Cup placegetter would target the typical Melbourne Cup lead-up races in Victoria, instead would lean towards qualifying via the Sydney circuits.
“I’d probably go to Sydney, get him qualified there. We just have to pick a nice path through for it,” Tiley said.
“One thing he’s got, if we get a wet spring he will be very competitive.
“There has been hardly any rain here the last six weeks, so that would suggest they could get it through the spring which would be right up his alley.”