Ben Hayes says Here To Shock is a great chance in Cranbourne Cup

Here To Shock hasn’t won this spring but a consistent campaign can be reward with victory in the Cranbourne Cup.

Here To Shock can score a deserved spring win in the Cranbourne Cup on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

It’s time Here To Shock turned his consistency into another win in Saturday’s $500,000 Cranbourne Cup (1600m).

Here To Shock hasn’t won this spring but has finished a length or less than the winner in three of his last four starts and drops in class for Saturday’s Listed feature.

The son of Shocking finished a long neck from Antino in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes three starts back and a length from Cause For Concern in a busy finish to the Group 2 Damien Oliver at Flemington last time out.

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Here To Shock’s only blemish in his last four runs was when he was well held in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield last month.

Co-trainer Ben Hayes said there was a simple explanation for Here To Shock’s Toorak Handicap flop.

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“The Toorak was a high-pressure race and he just didn’t like it,” Hayes, who trains Here To Shock in partnership with his brothers Will and JD, said.

“Things didn’t go his way and he’s a horse that needs things to go his way in the run to perform at his best.

“If you put a line through that, his form is great really.

“If you go back and look through it all, it’s all very good form.”

Here To Shock was a close second behind Antino in the Sandown Stakes last month. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

TAB has posted Here To Shock at $7 in its early Cranbourne Cup market behind the well-supported Foxy Cleopatra, who has firmed from $5 to a $3.80 favourite.

“I’m very happy with him and I think we’re a great chance in the race,” Hayes said.

Hayes said the three-week break going into the Cranbourne Cup was ideal for Here To Shock, who won the $200,000 Golden Mile at Listed level at Bendigo in the autumn.

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“We find, for some reason, he really thrives with spacing his runs,” Hayes said.

“The three weeks into this should be ideal.

“I think he’s much easier to keep very fresh spacing his runs and he just responds very well to it.

“He’s a highly-talented horse and he’s got the ability so hopefully he can get a win for the prep.”

Daniel Stackhouse, who has been aboard for five of Here To Shock’s last starts, will continue his partnership with the six-year-old in the Cranbourne Cup.

Bedggood duo ‘in no-man’s land’ in Apache Cat Classic

Recent runnings of the Apache Cat Classic suggest local trainer Gavin Bedggood faces a tall order with his two runners.

But he simply had no other option to run Exeter and Shalaman in the $175,000 feature.

TAB installed Shalaman at $19 and Exeter at $61 in early betting on the Apache Cat Classic, a race in which highly favoured runners have dominated since General Jackson won as a $16 chance in 2015.

Last year’s winner Jigsaw was the longest-priced winner in six years when he scored as a $6.50 chance.

TAB has Midwest as the $4 favourite with Taunting ($5), Generation ($4.50) and Rich Fortune ($6) as the main chances.

Bedggood said he would have taken other options with his pair had they been available but they weren’t there despite the plethora of meetings in Victoria during the spring carnival.

“In an ideal world, I’d like to look for something softer but there’s no other races for those Benchmark 78 horses,” Bedggood said.

Shalaman will head to the paddock after the Apache Cat Classic. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

“They just don’t really cater for them at any time of the year really.

“Once you’re out of that (Benchmark) 70 grade, you’re in no-man’s land if you’re not good enough to progress through to open company.

“For some reason, I’m not sure why, it’s a race that struggles to hold up for numbers.”

Exeter, who is part-owned by Brisbane Lions backman Darcy Gardiner and Swans forward Tom Papley, will run at Cranbourne to build fitness for a return to his favourite track, The Valley, in coming weeks.

Shalaman has finished less than two lengths from the winner at his last two runs, including behind Ashford Street and Taunting at The Valley on Cox Plate day.

But Bedggood said the four-year-old would probably head out for a spell after tackling the Apache Cat Classic.

“He’s honest and races close to the speed so he’s very effective around those turning circuits,” Bedggood said.

“He’s had a long preparation, this horse, so it’s probably paddock time after Saturday.”

Daniel Stackhouse will ride Shalaman while Beau Mertens will attempt to pull off a shock win on Exeter.

Originally published as Ben Hayes says Here To Shock is a great chance in Cranbourne Cup