Sydney-based trainer David Vandyke is remaining optimistic his galloper Lamasery can break their Group 1 maiden status in Brisbane this Saturday despite the six-year-old drawing the extreme outside barrier in the Doomben Cup 2013.
Lamasery has work to do from the far outside barrier in Saturday's Doomben Cup 2013. Photo: Taron Clarke.
Fourteen horses make up the field for this year’s $500,000 Group 1 Kirks Doomben Cup (2000m) and Commands gelding Lamasery will jump from gate 14 of 14 in their bid to upset the favourites.
Current Doomben Cup odds are led by last start Hollindale Stakes quinella Lights Of Heaven and Foreteller who are equal favourites at $3.60 and both of who boast a previous Group 1 win.
Further down the Doomben Cup betting markets but still one of the four single figure chances is then Lamasery at a quote of $7.
Winner of the Group 2 Hill Stakes over the same distance (2000m) at Randwick in September Lamasery has had two runs this time in.
Their first was a disappointing 10th to Havana Rey in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill in March before they improved going up to the 1800m when fourth in the Hollindale which was an arduous run according to Vandyke.
“He’s only got a 300-metre sprint and he was exposed from the 800 metres and to see him only get beaten three-quarters of a length was a massive effort,” he said.
They are expected to improve again with a further 200m on their side on Saturday, Vandyke hopeful that the wide gate won’t be their undoing as the horse is at their peak fitness for the Group 1 assignment.
“I was a bit nervous after the race (at the Gold Coast) because he was quite flat but subsequently he’s bounced back well and is going to be near 100 per cent on Saturday,” Vandkye said.
To help the horse overcome the barrier the trainer said they will employ a very basic plan of attack when jockey Glen Colless takes over from their Hollindale hoop Brenton Avdulla.
“Bad barriers have a pretty poor record over that distance at Doomben so we’ll be just going straight back,” Lamasery said.
“He’ll be back and tracking something up approaching the turn and you’ll see him flashing home late.
“Whether he gives them too much start remains to be seen but we certainly won’t be doing anything other than having that set plan going into the race.”
If successful Lamasery would be making history as the first Doomben Cup winner to jump from the outside barrier in the past three decades.
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