Picture: Bruno Cannatelli
Coach Ciaron Maher has greater than half the runners within the Travis Harrison Cup at Moonee Valley with half these runners on a possible Cups marketing campaign.
Smokin’ Romans, Interpretation and Duke De Sessa function amongst nominations for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October, whereas Too Shut The Solar, Normandy Bridge and Wyclif can even step out in Saturday’s 2040m contest.
Nominations for each the Caulfield Cup and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, additionally in October, closed on Tuesday whereas Melbourne Cup entries don’t shut till early September the place Smokin’ Romans, Interpretation and Duke De Sessa are anticipated to be included.
Maher is racing Smokin’ Romans by means of the winter months in a bid to revive the gelding’s confidence, simply as he did by means of the winter of 2022 when the gelding gained the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington early within the spring.
That led to Smokin’ Romans beginning favorite within the Caulfield Cup, wherein he completed seventh, earlier than additionally working seventh within the Melbourne Cup.
Maher returned the blinkers to Smokin’ Romans race day gear for the gelding’s final begin when second at Flemington on July 20 underneath Jaylah Kennedy who has the trip once more on Saturday.
“We put the shades on final time and Jaylah mentioned she most likely ought to have made extra use of him, and she or he was most likely proper too,” Maher mentioned.
“However he was a horse that was out of shape for a bit, so we’re utilizing this winter to hopefully get him again right into a bit kind and he actually appears to be doing that.
“This manner you will get forward of the sport health smart and in these early spring races, they’re able to win, not able to run.”
Maher is utilizing the identical concept with Interpretation who has had two runs since ending sixth in final 12 months’s Melbourne Cup behind With out A Struggle.
Interpretation has carried out reasonably, however Maher will not be involved, wanting to construct his health as he goals in direction of a begin in a 3rd Melbourne Cup.
“He’s simply moving into the swing of issues,” Maher mentioned.
“He’s had a few runs and hasn’t troubled them an excessive amount of, however he’s a blinker horse and a real two-miler, as we noticed final 12 months.”
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