Cox Plate favourite Whobegotyou’s trainer Mark Kavanagh also has a runner in the Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday, Raffaello.
The five-year-old bay galloper will be ridden by jockey Michael Rodd and is fairly high up the weights with 55.5kg. He drew a perfect wide start to suit his racing style and Rodd is sure that Raffaello will bring him back-to-back Crystal Miles. Raffaello is currently equal $3.40 favourite with five-year-old New Zealand galloper Rangirangdoo, who will be ridden by Corey Brown.
Other premier trainers, Lee Freedman and Danny O’Brien also have entries in the 1600m Crystal Mile on WS Cox Plate Day.
Freedman will run US raider Sound Of Nature ($12) with Dwayne Dunn aboard while O’Brien-trained Lucky Thunder ($10) will be ridden by in-from hoop Danny Nikolic. Both runners are well down the weights with only 53kg.
Kavanagh won the Crystal Mile last year with Sea Battle in what was a spectacular day for the Flemington trainer. He also took out the AAMI Vase with this year’s Cox Plate clear favourite, star gelding Whobegotyou as well as the feature race with Maldivian. All three victors were ridden by leading hoop Michael Rodd, who this year is aiming to equal his winning treble success.
Rodd missed the mount on Cox Plate favourite Whobegotyou this year, reallocated a ride on Maldivian who was later withdrawn.
He still has a good book of rides tomorrow though including Soliciting in the opening race of the day the Inglis Juvenile, Hidden Charges in the Arrow Training Services Stakes, Yes Sir Yes Sir in the Australia Stakes, Raffaello in the Crystal Mile, New Zealand raider Nom Du Jeu in the Cox Plate and Lamarr in the Independent Cranes Stakes.
