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Perth Cup 2021: Truly Great all set for staying test despite wide gate

The Summer Carnival in Western Australia will wrap up on Saturday with the Group 2 Perth Cup and a familiar name is favourite. Can he land a threepeat?

Truly Great is the favourite for the Group 2 Perth Cup. Picture: Western Race Pix
Truly Great is the favourite for the Group 2 Perth Cup. Picture: Western Race Pix

Kingston Town Classic winner Truly Great remains a firm favourite for Saturday’s Group 2 Perth Cup despite pulling a wide gate at Tuesday’s barrier draw in the west.

The Grant and Alana Williams-trained five-year-old remains a $2.20 chance with TAB.com.au for the $400,000 feature after drawing barrier 12.

Truly Great will go in search of three consecutive stakes successes after winning the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic and Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes at his past two starts.

Star jockey William Pike has been tasked with piloting Truly Great on the weekend with a top weight of 60kg.

Stablemate Midnight Blue ($9) will ensure the Williams team have a two-pronged attack with Pat Carbery set to ride the stayer.

Jockey William Pike rides Truly Great. Picture: Reg Ryan
Jockey William Pike rides Truly Great. Picture: Reg Ryan

The big name stables of Neville Parnham and Lindsey Smith will provide the main challengers to the Williams’ chances of securing another West Australian feature.

The Parnham-conditioned Neufbosc sits on the second line of betting at $5.50 after the one-time Melbourne Cup runner took out the Listed A.T.A Stakes on Boxing Day.

Parnham also has Platoon ($11) which finished third behind Truly Great in the Ted Van Heemst with the Smith-trained Trap For Fools ($10) splitting the pair on that occasion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant Perth’s Summer Carnival went ahead this year without a large contingent of interstate raiders.

However, Mornington trainer David Brideoake will saddle up Princess Jenni ($9) in the feature after the daughter of High Chaparral last featured when runner up at Flemington on December 19.

The final field and form for the Group 2 Perth Cup can be found via Racenet HERE.

Originally published as Perth Cup 2021: Truly Great all set for staying test despite wide gate

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/racing/truly-great-all-set-for-perth-cup-test/news-story/029bbfb33153b775bb1240b579c705de