History is ready to be made at Ellerslie

Bull hoping Benzini can complete a rare Cup double with a Victory in Auckland feature, writes Wally O’Hearn

Adrian and Harry Bull will be attempting to become the first trainers to win the New Zealand and Auckland Cups in the same season for more than half a century at Ellerslie tomorrow .

The last trainer to nab the 3200m (or two mile) double was Colin Jillings back in the 1962-63 season with his mighty stayer Stipulate, ridden by the late Johnny Anderson.

And for good measure Jillings also went on to also win the 1963 New Zealand Cup with Beauzami, in the hands of the late Grenville Hughes.

Now 52 years after Stipulate’s double, the Bulls have a realistic hope of repeating Jillings’ feat, though it will come with two horses.

The Hunterville father and son partnership won last November’s Gr III Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup with Mungo Jerry and this week they have a strong chance in the Gr I Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup with Benzini, who completed a hat trick of staying wins in last Saturday’s Barneswood Farm Nathans Memorial at Ellerslie.

Kelly Myers guided Mungo Jerry to his NZ Cup win and it is her younger sister, Rosie, who has the task aboard Benzini on Wednesday.

“It will be a bit of a dream if it happens,” said Adrian Bull.

“Whether he gets the two miles, I’m not sure. Mind you there aren’t many of these (3200m) races around so most of us are in the same boat.”

Benzini hadn’t raced beyond 1800m until finishing seventh to Soriano in the Gr II Ezibuy Awapuni Gold Cup 12 months ago, with most of his racing and best form being over 1600m.

But this year, after finishing unplaced in Puccini’s Gr I Harcourts Thorndon Mile, he was stepped up to Rosie Myers takes Benzini to victory in the Nathans Memorial at Ellerslie on Saturday as a dress rehearsal for the Auckland Cup.

Photo: Trish Dunell 2050m at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day and won the Wairarapa Cup.

Since then Benzini hasn’t put a foot wrong, winning the Listed Marks Ewen & Associates Kaimai Stakes at Matamata and backing up a week later to take the Nathans Memorial.

Benzini has had a more intense final 11-day race and gallop build-up to the Auckland Cup than his rivals in the 3200m test.

He worked at Ellerslie last Tuesday (three days after his Matamata win) and galloped again at Pukekohe last Thursday with the Bulls believing he also needed last Saturday’s Nathans Memorial to top him off for the Cup.

“He galloped really good at Pukekohe for Derek Nolan last Thursday and he had to have this one today,” said Harry Bull after Nathans Memorial win over Eva Keeneva.

“He’s had a tough week and we can ease back now and cruise through to the Cup.”

Benzini came from second-last in the Nathans Memorial and coasted up to the leaders inside the final 200m but then gawked around, allowing runnerup Eva Keeneva to get within threequarters of a length of him.

“He went to the line shying at the big screen (infield),” said Myers. “He was pretty much untapped.

“To be fair, I actually thought he was a step above the horses today and I wasn’t worried.

“All I wanted to do was just get him relaxed at the back.”

The Bulls switched from blinkers to side winkers on Benzini last Saturday, but the blinkers will go back on in the Auckland Cup.

Benzini, a son of Tale Of The Cat, will be the second Auckland Cup runner from the Bull stable. Butch James was sixth to Spin Around in the 2009 Auckland Cup.

Myers was hoping for a good draw tomorrow and her wish has been granted.

Benzini has drawn nicely at barrier three in the capacity field, which is headed by the Waikato Times Gold Cup winner Surpass.