Warwick Farm preview: A wet home track is tailor-made for McGeehan

Trainers Paul and Martha Cave are looking to last start winners McGeehan and La Belle Claire to salute again at Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury.

McGeehan is chasing back-to-back wins when he steps out on his home track of Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Picture: Bradley Photos

The boutique stable of Paul and Martha Cave produced two winners within 48 hours of each other at the end of June with McGeehan and La Belle Claire and are hoping to land another couple of wins with the pair in consecutive days.

McGeehan was the second leg of their double when he won at Newcastle on June 29 with a tough effort to hold out Dreamdeel under 59.5kg in a Benchmark 64 over 1850m.

He will step out in the Benchmark 72 over 2130m on his home track where he has two wins and a second from three starts.

“He loves the conditions, he relishes a heavy track. He is stepping up in grade from his last run but he has won in this grade before,” said Martha Cave.

Mcgeehan gets the money!

That's some quality tipping from @BradJGray. 👏 pic.twitter.com/V5VYLJvzuR

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 20, 2023

“A draw closer to the inside would have been an advantage because he does like to race in a forward position but we take what we are given.

“He does have a good two kilo claiming apprentice onboard in Molly Bourke who does have a one hundred per cent success rate for the stable.

“Also, he loves Warwick Farm; he was won a couple of races there and was just beaten in another.”

Cave said she wouldn’t normally run the son of Excelebration so soon but a lack of suitable races has forced their hand.

“It’s 11 days between runs, but there aren’t a lot of options for him and we have kept him nice and fresh,” she said.

“While it was a Soft 6 at Newcastle, he absolutely loves a heavy track. He goes the same on it as he does on all other surfaces.

“He’s very fit, he rolls forward to race on pace and I’m looking forward to another good run from him.”

Cave is hoping Donegal Lights gets a run in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) later in the day.

The gelding showed his ability winning three on end last campaign and Cave is hoping a gear change can help him find his right form.

La Belle Claire is looking to make it two in-a-row when she heads to Hawkesbury on Thursday. Picture: Bradley Photos

“He is a horse who could potentially be a nice stayer but he is just too hard to settle,” he said.

“Having said that, we have changed the bit on him and I really hope he gets a run.

“He is very well in himself and I think he feels better than when he won three in-a-row last time in.”

Cave was pleased to see La Belle Claire put it all together to win impressively at Wyong on June 27 and is hoping she can repeat the effort in the Class 1 Handicap (1500m) at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

“She has a little bit of quality about her,” she said.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of her but it has just taken her a while to work out how to race.

“Also, in the early days, we had a lot of trouble getting her to settle but I have to give a lot of credit to Andrew Calder because he has done a great job educating her and teaching her to settle.

“She led very easily from an outside gate at Wyong and she has drawn barrier 1 this week which is beautiful,” she said.

“I can see her leading easily again but she isn’t a horse who has to lead. She will settle third or fourth if she needs to and will so a turn of foot at the end.

“It’s a full field with a number of them coming off the back of their maiden win in the last couple of starts so it will be tough but she will put herself up on the speed and can hopefully hang on.”

GODOLPHIN PRIMED FOR A WINNING DOUBLE

Trainer James Cummings looks a great chance to bookend the Warwick Farm meeting with exciting prospects Tarpaulin and Kerguelen although a couple of stablemates might have something to say about that.

Headlining the Godolphin team is Kerguelen in the final event, the Ole Kirk First Yearlings Handicap (1300m).

The son of former champion racehorse and sire Lonhro went into his debut run at Kembla on May 18 with big wraps off some impressive trial form and didn’t let his supporters down.

Starting a $1.70 favourite, the gelding was three-wide early before rolling to the lead near the 700m and left his rivals in his wake with a nine and a half-length win from Namoi River and Machaon on a Heavy 9 track.

Cummings was patient in getting the rising four-year-old to the races and showed patience before producing him again.

Racing in @theracingleagu3 NSW Tycoons colours, Cool Jakey goes to the front and finds plenty under the big weight for @PrideRacing. pic.twitter.com/f7UZXrzt8w

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 26, 2024

Following an easy trial at Rosehill on June 11 when fifth to Field Wiri, Kerguelen was scheduled to run at Randwick on June 22 but the meeting was abandoned.

He then stepped out at Warwick Farm on June 26 where he was pocketed around the bend and the leader, Cool Jakey, skipped away at the top of the straight.

Kerguelen closed strongly to finish a nose second under Zac Lloyd who rides the gelding again from barrier 2.

He opened a $2.30 favourite before firming into $2 with TAB Fixed Odds to make amends.

Second elect in the race is his stablemate Hanau who was $3.50 out to $3.70.

The grey son of Snitzel resumed with a two and a quarter length fifth behind In Flight at Rosehill on June 15.

He raced very well last campaign with two wins and two close seconds from his four starts and will make his presence felt.

In the opening race, the Schweppes Handicap (1200m), Tarpaulin is looking to atone for his first-up second as an odds-on favourite behind impressive Mawjood over 1100m here on June 26.

The son of Harry Angel was locked up behind the leader until just after straightening before finishing a length off the winner.

He opened a $2.80 with TAB Fixed Odds ahead of Trunks at $4.60 into $4.40 and Everybody Rise at $8 out to $12.

Stablemate Diamond Firetail was $15 out to $19 for the race but must be given respect on her first-up win in a two and three-year-old maiden at Wyong on a heavy track on June 13.

Originally published as Warwick Farm preview: A wet home track is tailor-made for McGeehan