THE faith in Weekend Hussler's ability to stay the demanding Caulfield Cup trip remains resolute in the camp that matters most. Team Hussler assembled at Caulfield yesterday morning and the deposed cup favourite was cut loose on the course proper.
"The only doubt I have is luck in running," said the Horse of the Year's devoted jockey, Brad Rawiller, after partnering the pacemaker Pacino in the 1600 metre gallop in which Weekend Hussler sizzled past under morning work rider Les Beer, another fan.
Trainer Ross McDonald, a two-time Caulfield Cup winner, said the horse had done nothing to make him doubt his ability. And his son, Clinton, advised punters to ignore Weekend Hussler's failure to finish a place last time out behind new cup favourite Littorio in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
"Brad learnt a bit from that," Clinton McDonald said. "He travelled three wide without cover, he now knows he doesn't have any friends out there, knows he has to be aggressive. He is on the best horse and jockeys look for him."
Weekend Hussler was back in his stable when the AJC Australian Derby winner Nom Du Jeu stepped out at Caulfield for the first time, erasing concerns arising from a minor reaction to an equine influenza shot last week.
Sydney-based South African jockey Jeff Lloyd reunited with the New Zealand stayer on the course proper in a 2000-metre workout in which the derby winner could not catch the local lead horse, Light Vision.
"Light Vision probably went a bit quicker than we wanted to," said Bjorn Baker, the son of trainer Murray. "Jeff sat off and never really asked him to quicken, he can get pulling. Jeff was pretty happy with his work and he pulled up well, which is the main thing."
Queensland Oaks and Derby winner Riva San, which is out to repeat the feat of Ethereal and claim the Oaks-Caulfield Cup double, emerged from the trackside barn of trainer Peter Moody and galloped 1600m on the steeple grass before returning to the stable at 4.25am. "She is in good shape," Moody said. "She is crying out for the mile and half, she is on her home track, she is there to run well."
Riva San headed to Sydney instead of running in the Turnbull Stakes, with Moody admitting it was an unorthodox lead-up.
"We were going round in the Turnbull at set weight and penalties with very little chance of winning," he said. "The option was to go to Sydney with a good chance of winning and I think we were desperately unlucky not to have. The trip certainly hasn't hurt her - [it] brought her on if anything."
Asked about Weekend Hussler's ability to stay, Moody said he was a doubter, adding: "I respect the fact he is a gelding and for that amount of prizemoney, you'd have a go. You can always come back and win another Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket over the sprint trips next year. New Zealand form line is something to be respected but the bench mark for me is Littorio. Littorio is the one that has had the trouble-free, perfect preparation. He is in great shape, great form."
The Hussler camp was having none of it, with Rawiller saying: "I know what the horse can do. People seemed to have dropped off for the wrong reason. This is not a 50-1 shot, it is one of the favourites and one of the best [horses] we've seen in a long time."
Victory in the Caulfield Cup would net Weekend Hussler an eighth group 1 victory in the space of 53 weeks.
"Put a line through the Turnbull," Clinton McDonald said. "He failed in the race last year and came out and won a Cox Plate. The horse hasn't turned a hair, he looks fantastic, we can't fault him, he is ready to go and we believe he'll run a mile and a half."
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff