Danny’s boy ready to roll
IN the throes of a memorable season, Danny O’Brien believes Plein Ciel is primed to add further lustre to the stable’s 2019-20 performance.
O’Brien has assembled a small but select team at Flemington today as the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer attempts to overtake Lindsay Park as the most successful stable at the course this season.
With 14 wins to Victorian metropolitan trainers’ premiership leader Lindsay Park’s 15, he will saddle Plein Ciel (Winter Championships final), Burleigh Boy (Taj Rossi series final), Grinzinger Allee (Silver Bowl series final) and Cordilla (Rivette series final).
O’Brien will send out Plein Ciel for only the third time but believes he will be even better suited at Flemington than at the Valley, where he controversially dead-heated with Shot Of Irish last month when Billy Egan breached the whip rule.
“He’s terrific,” the trainer said. “We’re very happy with him.
“He was very good first-up and he dead-heated the other day and I don’t think Moonee Valley is as suitable a track for him as Flemington.
“This a really nice race and he’ll need to perform well to win it. It is a very strong race.
“But he’s a happy horse and he’s going well.”
The Flemington meeting marks the return of racehorse owners to the track for the first time in more than three months, with up to 30 owners per race able to get back on track.
The program features the finals of nine race series, including the Listed Victorian Sprint series final, the Listed Taj Rossi series final and the newly introduced 2YO Sprint series final.
The VRC will unveil what it describe as a “world-first with the introduction of wind-measurement technology in play for participants and punters”.
“The Flemington wind tracker will provide real-time wind speed and direction at four points across the track, which can be easily accessed at Flemington.com.au under the track and weather page or via the Flemington app on race day,” VRC chief executive Neil Wilson said.
“The Flemington wind tracker is the first of its kind and has been developed in conjunction with the team at Sports Data and some of Victoria’s leading jockeys. The VRC is always looking at ways to provide a better, more informed experience for everyone engaging with the sport on course or at home.”