Saturday Special: Make Interlocuter your lock for Villiers Stakes
SAY what you will about Godolphin since James Cummings took over the Australian stable, but one horse that has excelled under his training has been French import Interlocuter.
Since Cummings was appointed as head trainer of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Aussie operations, Interlocuter has been first past the post in four runs, and had it not been for a dubious protest in the Highway Handicap at the beginning of September, the horse would possess an unblemished record coming into Saturday’s Group 2 Villiers’ Stakes (1600m).
Which is why we were astonished to see that not only did Interlocuter open longer than an even-money favourite, the horse has actually drifted out to the $3.50 quote at Sportsbet for Saturday’s feature.
We’re making Interlocuter – or is it Inter-lock-ter – our lock bet of the weekend.
The big tick for us is the 1600m distance, which the five-year-old seems to thrive at.
Since Cummings took over Interlocuter has raced at varying distances between 1400m and 1900m, but its finest win was at the mile journey. In a benchmark 85 race that contained a number of classy operators, including Mapmaker, Interlocuter blew the field away to win by just shy of three lengths.
The son of Medaglia d’Oro carried 58.5kg in that dominant win, exactly 4kg more than it will take into Saturday’s group 2.
If that doesn’t boost your confidence, nothing will.
Another factor coming into this one has been Cummings’ preparation. Godolphin has given Interlocuter a month off with one eye on this race. The horse was given a trial just over a week ago and the return was rock solid.
This mirrors the plan for the five-year-old’s last two runs, and as the old saying goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Cummings himself said Interlocuter “couldn’t be going better” coming into the horse’s biggest racing test, and seldom does the head trainer give out praise that is unwarranted.
It all seems to be falling into place for the talented galloper to win its first-ever group title, and Ty Angland, who has steered Interlocuter past the post first in all of his six rides aboard the horse, believes the mile is its ideal trip.
“When you watch his mile win at Randwick earlier this campaign, the way he busted through and how easy he did it, I just feel he has a better turn of foot over the shorter trip,” Angland said of Interlocuter’s 1600m credentials.
“The Villiers is a good race but it is time for him to step up to the big boys. I’m confident he can do that as he is a horse that has kept improving and I still think he has more upside.”
We couldn’t agree more, Mr Angland.