Fanatic ready to step it up
DAVID Hayes believes his Sandown Cup chance Fanatic can progress into an Adelaide Cup contender next March.
The former Kiwi mare scored an emphatic win on Melbourne Cup day over 2800m and Hayes is confident she will again relish the rise to 3200m at Sandown Hillside today.
“She was really good, and she will like the two miles (3200m),” Hayes said.
“She was really good in the last furlong.”
Fanatic, a daughter of 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, has twice stretched out to 3200m – for fourth in the Wellington Cup and sixth in the Auckland Cup.
“I might train her for the Adelaide Cup (next year),” Hayes said.
The five-year-old only joined the Lindsay Park team in August and last year’s Group 1 New Zealand Oaks winner looks to have a bright future.
She was found to be “in season” when eighth to subsequent Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Vengeur Masque in the Geelong Cup, but bounced back to easily score at Flemington.
Fanatic is $3.70 for today’s race. Darren Weir’s Gallic Chieftain ($2.25) is the favourite, and Weir thinks he is his best prospect on today’s program.
“I thought he got a terrible ride (when fifth in the Queen Elizabeth), Mick (Dee) gave the horse absolutely no chance from the position where he was and I thought the best part of the race was his last 300m,” Weir said on RSN.
“He pulled up really well, as he should because he only sort of galloped home a little bit late. The step up in trip is a real plus, so he is my best for the day.”