Geelong Cup: Media Award a chance to win hometown race

A Geelong trainer has identified why racing at his home track would have its advantages ahead of the Geelong Cup.

Picture: Peter Ristevski

THE Geelong trainer of five-year-old Media Award believes the home track advantage could give his mare the edge it needs to claim Wednesday‘s Geelong Cup.

Media Award is stabled just a two-minute drive from where she will race for the Cup on Wednesday, and is regarded as an outside chance after some patchy form leading into the 2400m race.

But trainer Chris Calthorpe said having a local horse in the race had its advantages.

“We’re very happy with the horse coming in, we think we’ll see the best of her,” he said.

Chris Calthorpe with Media Award after she won the Australasian Oaks. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“It’s most definitely advantageous to be racing at our home track, the other horses will be coming from an hour or two away and we really just need to put her on a float for a few minutes down the road.

“She’s a quality horse and has run on this track a fair bit so knows it well.”

Media Award won the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville in 2021, her only grade 1 win to date.

Calthorpe said he was hoping to prove she was more than just “a flash in the pan”.

“From the outside looking in, most people would think she isn’t much of a chance,” he said.

Chris Calthorpe with Media Award. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“But we just need the right conditions and we’ll be in a good spot … her form hasn’t been great, whether that’s trainer error, jockey error or something else.

“To win the Geelong Cup would be very special, it is the home cup but it is also a very even field.

“They don’t just give the spots away for nothing, you’ve got to earn your place, so we know it’s a privilege to race (in the Geelong Cup).

“We want to show that the group 1 win at the Oaks wasn’t just a flash in the pan, that she is a quality horse and that she’s back to her best.”

Calthorpe said the track conditions suited Media Award, despite more than 50mm of rain hitting the track in the week leading into Wednesday.

“It’s one of the best tracks in Victoria, if not the best track, because the drainage is so good,” he said.

“Most tracks wouldn’t race after the amount of rain it had, but it looks like it’ll be a good 4 to a soft 5.

“Drawing barrier one is not ideal, there might be a lot of horse in front of her and she’ll could get pinned to the fence.

“But she’s got a ripping turn of foot, if she sees daylight she’ll go, hopefully she can put on a show.”

Originally published as Geelong Cup: Media Award a chance to win hometown race