Experience puts Reel pressure on the field

IRISH trainer Aidan O’Brien’s travelling foreman T.J. Comerford believes Highland Reel is the equal of last year’s Cox Plate winner Adelaide in a bullish assessment on the eve of this year’s WFA championship.

Asked if an impressive formline meant Highland Reel is on par with Adelaide, Comerford said: “I think he is.”

“He’s (Highland Reel) gone a similar route regards the Secretariat and that,” he said, referring to the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes (2012m) that the horse won at Arlington in the US on August 15.

“He was very impressive in the Secretariat where Adelaide probably made more hard work of it but you still got the same result (winning) at the end of the day.

“He was drawn in 13 at Arlington and he ended up making the running. That wasn’t simple but he did it.”

To be ridden by champion English jockey Ryan Moore, Highland Reel is a TAB $5 favourite for the Cox Plate.

Boasting two wins from his past three starts, he was a close fifth to European star Golden Horn in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes (2012m) at Leopardstown in September.

Golden Horn subsequently won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in France.

Aware of the expected strong tempo behind The Cleaner, Comerford said Highland Reel had the adaptability to cope in a variety of scenarios in his bid to emulate Adelaide.

Asked about the predicted brutal pace, Comerford said: “It won’t bother him.

“If someone wants to go and make it, it will be a true-run gallop and that’s what we want.

“Any time he’s run in Europe, he’s had to slot in. But if someone doesn’t want to make it, he’ll go on (and lead).

“It doesn’t really matter because he’s had so much experience racing different ways ...”

Regarding Highland Reel’s preparation: “Aidan tells us what we’re doing and we do what Aidan tells us to do.”