Wales eyeing Cranbourne Cup after upset win
IT might have been a benchmark rating 78 handicap at Cranbourne on a Sunday, but the fresh up win of Wales commanded respect as it heads towards the Cranbourne Cup on October 9.
The Richard Laming-trained stayer resumed in the Procon Developments Handicap over 1400m at Cranbourne on August 28 and wasn’t it expected to win with CrownBet.com.au offering $37 for the seven-year-old, but the surprise victory has now set up what should be an enterprising season.
The well-bred horse by Redoute’s Choice x. Valkyrie Diva was a purchase for a group of owners which includes the G1 Crown Racing Syndicate among others and it will now target the $200,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup after its big win fresh up.
Trainer Richard Laming wasn’t expecting Wales to win, but admits the race set up well for the back marker.
“Not really (expecting the win), but they can do that,” Laming said. “They went hard early, set it up for the back markers.”
Wales improved on its fresh up form having won a rating 78 handicap at Sandown when fresh in 2014, and Laming thought its work throughout the week suggested it could go well and now the cups races could be on the agenda.
“We thought he’d run a good race, his work suggested he was forward,” Laming said.
“We’re still undecided at the moment, maybe to Ballarat on September 18. I’ve had to change path, but he’ll trial Friday (Cranbourne) and then head towards the Cranbourne Cup.”
Following the win on Sunday, winning jockey Ben Melham was pleased with the turn-of-foot the seven-year-old showed when it dashed late to score by a narrow margin over Tiny’s Legacy and Stylish Miss.
“It was an impressive win. He actually worked really well at Sandown the other day, but I thought, I knew he’d run really well, but we were just a bit worried they might be a bit sharp for him,” Melham said.
“He had a big weight, we would have been happy if he was hitting the line, but it’s nice when they overachieve.
“They ran along, he tacked up really well, it opened up for him and he was too good.”
Melham is confident Wales can handle the class rise of the Cranbourne Cup, suggesting if it can reproduce a similar effort it will be right in the mix.
“He runs well at the track and if he can produce a turn-of-foot like that at the end of 2000 (metres) which when he’s right he can, he’s got a bit of class about him this horse,” he said.
“It wouldn’t be beyond him at all.”