Trainer Natalie Young has Foxy Cleopatra primed to strike in Ballarat Cup ... rain, hail or shine
Trainer Natalie Young has a strong hand at Ballarat on Saturday including Foxy Cleoapatra in the cup and Viannara in the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic.
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Champion jockey Craig Williams’s want to stick with Foxy Cleopatra, in Melbourne or Sydney, has buoyed trainer Natalie Young going into Saturday’s Ballarat Cup (2000m).
Foxy Cleopatra motored late from back in the field last start, inside eventual winner Charterhouse, to run second in the Cranbourne Cup, beaten a head.
“She was great in the Cranbourne Cup, she probably got back a little bit too far and she is a horse that needs to wind up to get home,” Young said.
“She needs that longer straight, and if the rain does come she’ll get through it no problems.”
Charterhouse has travelled to Sydney to contest the $2m The Ingham (1600m) on Saturday, a race Young and co-trainer Trent Busuttin considered but ultimately decided against.
Charterhouse wins the Cranbourne Cup! ðŸ†
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) November 25, 2023
It's Ciaron Maher, David Eustace and Declan Bates again. ðŸ‘@cmaherracing@decbatespic.twitter.com/MdVpCxCdXe
Foxy Cleopatra was not guaranteed a start in The Ingham as a fourth emergency.
A fallback entry in a 2000m Listed race in Sydney was also canned in favour of dual the Group 3-placed Foxy Cleopatra going to Ballarat.
Williams committed, at the earliest opportunity, to riding Foxy Cleopatra in either state.
Young hoped Williams could settle a bit closer to the speed on Saturday despite barrier 12.
“He knows her now and wanted to stick with her … which is always a good sign,” Young said.
“Willo does his own thing, you can’t tell him too much … he knows a bit more about her after running second in the Cranbourne Cup, so we’ll leave it (tactics) up to him.”
Young Werther on Friday joined Foxy Cleopatra atop the TAB market for the Ballarat Cup as equal $5.50 favourites, with Ain’tnodeeldun and Captain Envious both at $6.
Ain’tnodeeldun shared the top line of betting early in the week but the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained galloper is no certainty to start with forecast rain on Saturday.
Red Sun Sensation ($6.50) and Just Folk ($7) are the only other runners in single figures.
Young has five starters at Ballarat on Saturday including two-year-old colt Vianarra (Race 2), Alverdun and Whakamana (both in Race 6) and Pascero in the last, with Busuttin in Perth to saddle Forgot You in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes.
Young will be trying to win the stable’s third straight Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic, with Vianarra a $15 chance.
Cusack (2021) and Sunsource (2022) saluted in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic qualifier the past two years.
“I’m hoping for third time lucky but we have drawn barrier 10,” Young said.
“I thought his last run at Ballarat was super, last 50m he really hit the line strong.
“He jumped OK last start and then just got a bit of a squeeze and spat out the back, once he straightened up the last 50 (metres) was really good. If the rain does come he should get through it, being out of a Flying Spur mare, it will just make it more like an 1100m which is probably what he’s built for.
“He’s a horse probably looking for that little bit further (than 1000m) but it’s just a nice race to try and get into the Magic Millions.”
Originally published as Trainer Natalie Young has Foxy Cleopatra primed to strike in Ballarat Cup ... rain, hail or shine
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