Cup Plans For Tanby

Saturday, 06 October 2012 04:39

TanbyNick Williams and his parents won their second stakes race in an hour with the victory of Tanby in the Bart Cummings at Flemington this afternoon.

Earlier at Randwick they had collected the Group 3 Craven Plate at Randwick with Mourayan winning his first race since last year's Bart Cummings, making it back to back wins in that race for the stable.

"We've always had a big opinion of this horse and he's come through the grades well as we all know", Williams said after the race.

Tanby started favourite at  $3.60 after the late scratching of Exceptionally which was withdrawn after co-trainers Terry and Katrina O'Sullivan became alarmed at the hardness of the Good 3 rated track.

Ridden well back by Damien Oliver who rarely rides in the Williams navy blue and white armbands colours, Tanby waited until well into the straight to make his winning run.

TanbyCharging home strongly, Tanby ranged up on the outside of Sky Raider who had tried valiantly to lead all the way. The Pat Carey trained Dame Claire rolled to the inside of Sky Raider and threw out a challenge to Tanby.

Closing late, Maluckyday put in his best run since the 2010 Melbourne Cup to finish second, but still not enough to qualify him for a run in this year's Cup. Dame Claire held on well for third place.

Oliver was impressed with his first ride for the Williams stable since 2008 and his first win for them since Incumbent at Caulfield in March 2007.

"I was quite impressed with him because he got there and he still doesn't know how to put the race away", he said.

"It's nice to get onto one of Lloyd Williams' team because they are always very fit horses and stay very well."

"He was just starting to wander but he had plenty to give."

Start of the Bart CummingsImproving Tanby's position in the qualifying order for the Cup was clearly top of mind for Williams, who suggested a 1 kg penalty for his horse from the handicapper would be welcomed.

"The way things have been going this year I'm sure this horse will be penalised."

"He is down in the order a little bit but the way he won today I'm sure Mr (Greg) Carpenter will be fixing that up first thing Monday morning."

Oliver thought that Tanby would be better suited over a longer trip this Spring.

"I think the Melbourne Cup is more suitable for him but I was quite taken by him, he will stay and he's beaten the Melbourne Cup runner-up today so you can't ask for much more than that."

Williams is very conscious of what can go wrong with a Melbourne Cup campaign, having retired top stayer Efficient during the week following the re-occurrence of an old leg injury.

Tanby"The Melbourne Cup is still a month away and anything can go wrong. We were going pretty well at this time last year."

"With these stayers, unlike sprinters, you've got to put so many miles into their legs and it's so easy for something to go wrong so we are just hoping the team can keep him together and with a bit of luck we can feature in those bigger races later on."

Williams expects that Tanby will have his next start in either the Caulfield Cup or the Moonee Valley Cup depending on how he pulls up after racing on today's hard track.

Photo: Quentin Lang