Munce and Hendersons aim to be Best again

IMPROVING Gold Coastowned three-year-old Scathing is primed to give Chris Munce a chance to complete the unusual double of training a stakes winner after riding a stakes winner for the same connections.

Munce will saddle up Scathing in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Scathing is owned by the Gold Coast’s Henderson Racing syndicate, several of whom raced the 2010 Caulfield Cup winner Descarado.

Munce rode Descarado to victory in the Caulfield Cup, giving him the final leg of Australian racing’s big four – the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.

“I have never had a stakes runner for the Hendersons as a trainer, it would be something unusual to complete a double line that,” Munce said.

Scathing might not win a Caulfield Cup but he is showing well above average ability and has recorded three wins and four minor placings from eight starts.

However, his most impressive run was his only unplaced effort when he was fourth in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas two weeks ago.

Munce said Scathing was good last start and had form around some smart horses.

“He was slow to go in the Guineas but made plenty of ground to be fourth,” he said.

“The Guineas was run at a fast pace and it will be the same at Doomben on Saturday.

“Don’t forget Scathing was second to (subsequent Group 1 winner) Alligator Blood when we were having only our second race start.

The Fred Best Classic is ballot free for the Stradbroke and Munce hasn’t ruled out running Scathing in the Group 1 if successful on Saturday.