Anders likely to run in Melbourne during the spring after stunning win at Rosehill
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have revealed their plans for impressive young sprinter Anders after the colt’s brilliant win at Rosehill. Meanwhile, Cape Of Good Hope will be assessed before being cleared to run at Caulfield.
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Touted as a contender for The Everest after searing Listed Rosebud (1100m) victory at Rosehill on Saturday, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s colt Anders is more likely to campaign in Melbourne during the spring.
Eustace indicated the Group 1 Moir Stakes at The Valley on September 25 and the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on October 31 are the chestnut’s probable targets.
“Where he goes from today? More likely down here (Melbourne),” Eustace said.
“Whether he runs in the Moir and then ends up in the Coolmore, they’re the races we’re thinking.
“We always had a really big opinion of him. He wasn’t really doing it as an early two-year-old. He wasn’t quite strong enough and rounded off.
“He still had an awful lot of early speed, and genuine speed, but he wasn’t able to finish off.
“So he had a break and came back a more stronger and mature horse. He could go all the way.”
Installed as a $26 chance for The Everest, Anders made light of heavy conditions in Sydney to trounce Ole Kirk by almost five lengths.
Eustace said the son of Not A Single Doubt had the qualities to eventually earn a career at stud.
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“He’s fast out of the gates, he’s got a really high cruising speed and he can quicken off that,” he said.
“There’s no need to stretch him out. He’s a colt. Everyone wants speed and we genuinely think he’s of Group 1 ability and can develop into a horse that goes to stud.
“He’s going to love The Valley, isn’t he? On speed, high cruising speed. I see that as where he’ll head.”
JUMPOUT TO TEST CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
A start for import Cape Of Good Hope in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday hinges on a Flemington jumpout on Monday.
Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes will use the jumpout to gauge the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes winner’s condition ahead of a possible return to the racetrack.
“Subject to how he goes in the jumpout on the course proper at Flemington, we’ll then make a decision on the Lawrence Stakes,” Dabernig said.
“It’s not a normal thing for us to do give a horse a jumpout on a Monday and then go to the races on a Saturday, but he’s had a good break and has come back in nice and sound.
“He arrived in Australia in good form winning the Caulfield Stakes (on October 12) but last campaign his feet were the issue and he was taking on reasonable company.
“His feet have improved. Remember Redkirk Warrior had trouble initially with his feet when he came from Hong Kong and we managed to get him right and I think this is a similar situation.
“We’ve addressed the issue and he’ll have his chance to show his best form.”
Dabernig said the former Aidan O’Brien charge had also been successfully treated for stomach ulcers.
“He’s better now and we’re excited to be starting off with him again.”
Dabernig believes 1600m to 2000m will be Cape Of Good Hope’s best distance although he wasn’t ruling out 2400m of the Caulfield Cup.
“I think we’ll get him to an Underwood Stakes and work it out from there. He’s had one quiet jumpout and he’ll have another one on Monday.”
Cape Of Good Hope hasn’t started since finishing 13th in the Australian Cup behind stablemate Fifty Stars in March.
Dabernig said Fifty Stars would likely return to racing over 1400m at Caulfield during the cup carnival and then run in the Cantala Stakes and Mackinnon Stakes over Cup week.
Mystic Journey defeated Cliff’s Edge and Hartnell in last season’s Lawrence Stakes.
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Originally published as Anders likely to run in Melbourne during the spring after stunning win at Rosehill