Danny O’Brien not reliant on Cup winner Vow And Declare as his stable hits red zone at Flemington
When you talk trainer Danny O’Brien and his firepower your attention immediately turns to Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare, but his battleship is surrounded by a well-equipped flotilla.
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In one version of racing perfection, luck is king.
In Danny O’Brien’s world, quality horses, improved training systems, facilities and momentum are the ingredients for sustained excellence.
O’Brien’s stable is flying, with 12 winners from its past 50 starters as the yard bears down on record metrics. With 72 wins and 130 placings from 200 runners after a treble at Pakenham on Thursday, O’Brien’s winning rate sits at an impressive 17.7.
The place ratio to runners is a phenomenal 49 per cent.
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“It’s a combination of things,” O’Brien said before what shapes as another bountiful meeting for the stable at Flemington on Saturday, highlighted by Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare in the Newton Handicap.
“We’re constantly trying to improve the way we do things and we have better systems now. You’ve got to have the horses, but the facilities here at Flemington have never been better.
“You only have to look at the other Flemington trainers and how well they’re doing. Mike Moroney (50 wins) is having a bumper season.
“It’s a variety of things.”
On target to eclipse the stable’s placings-to-runs best (46 per cent in 2004-05) and the most wins (106 in 2008-09), O’Brien will send six runners, including several favourites, to Flemington for the Anzac Day meeting.
Vow And Declare is the flag-bearer — and a short-priced favourite — but O’Brien has high hopes for others after the scratching of Russian Camelot because of blood count issues.
“Flying Award is a nice horse who’s run well twice, and we think he’ll be hard to beat,” O’Brien said.
“Naivasha was really good winning last start and is well placed again, while Extreme Pride (in the same race) is ready to run well second-up.
“Run To Perfection has good New Zealand form, and we’re expecting him to run well for us.”
leo.schlink@news.com.au
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A second successive Melbourne Cup triumph is Vow And Declare’s ultimate 2020 goal but, in a warning to rivals, Danny O’Brien says the gelding is now entering his “hitting zone”.
On an extended preparation designed to peak on November 3, Vow And Declare will contest the William Newton VC Handicap (2600m).
Burdened with 61kg on a 56kg minimum, Vow And Declare’s handicap does not deter O’Brien because of the race conditions.
“He’s ready to step to 2600m, it’s a nice race for him to run in and he’s still in (competitive at) the weight scale,” O’Brien said. “This race is part of the program heading towards the Melbourne Cup. The Andrew Ramsden is next (on May 16).
“All we’re doing is rolling through the program, but we’re still expecting him to be winning these races.
“If you look at his record at 2400m and beyond, he’s had four starts for two wins (Melbourne Cup and Tattersall’s Cup) and two seconds (Caulfield Cup and Queensland Derby). At 2400m and beyond, that’s where he’s genetically placed to advantage. He’s in his hitting zone.”
O’Brien was delighted with the four-year-old’s work over 1600m on Tuesday, describing it as “terrific”.
O’Brien will start boom galloper Russian Camelot in the 1700m Peter Armytage Handicap at Flemington in preparation for the South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on May 9.
Quarantined in Adelaide as part of a mandatory two-week self-isolation period, John Allen will be an interested onlooker as Damien Oliver partners Russian Camelot.
“He looks like a smart colt, but obviously has a lot to prove yet, I’m interested to see how he runs,” Allen said, pointing to possibly the only chink in Russian Camelot’s armour. “Only slight worry he’s six months younger than (the other horses) being northern hemisphere bred.”
