Extra Trip To Suit Largo Lad
- Friday, 18 December 2009 07:45
Trainer David Hayes is expecting an improved performance from Largo Lad in Saturday's Group Two CB Cox Stakes at Ascot.Hayes said the step up to 2100m would help Largo Lad get around the Ascot circuit better than he did at his past two starts at the track when he settled back and got strung up in traffic.
The Encosta De Lago five-year-old finished 12th to Sniper's Bullet in the Railway Stakes (1600m) then was slowly away when 10th to Sniper's Bullet in the Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
"According to (stable manager) Gary Fennessy who is over in Perth with the horse if he doesn't run well on Saturday it's the shape of the track," Hayes said.
"Some horses don't go at Caulfield and some don't go at Ascot, but I think the longer distance is easier for a big horse like him as he has more time to get into his rhythm and stride and work into the race.
"He's flying. He ran very good sectionals getting checked last start and ran nowhere.
"We think he should be going into this race having finished in the first three so we'll see."
Glen Boss, who rode Largo Lad at his past two starts in Perth, has stayed in Melbourne to ride at Flemington, paving the way for local jockey Steven Parnham to take the mount on Saturday.
Largo Lad won the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in March and was a close-up fourth to Vision And Power in the Group One Doncaster Hcp (1600m) at Randwick in April.
The gelding, at $21 with TAB Sportsbet, drew barrier three in the weight-for-age feature which is dominated by classy seven-year-old Scenic Shot, the $2.25 favourite, who finished a solid third in the Kingston Town.
Since dead-heating with Daka's Gem in the Cox Stakes three years ago, which was his last win in Perth, the Danny Morton-trained Scenic Shot has won two Group One races - the 2009 Doomben Cup (2020m) and Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) - and four at Group Two level.
The Scenic gelding carried 60kg when he won the 2009 Brisbane Cup (2400m) and has won the past two PJ O'Shea Stakes at Eagle Farm and the 2008 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.
The Paul Perry-trained Newport ($12) will be having his first start since finishing 10th to Shocking in the Melbourne Cup and travelling foreman Shannon Perry says he's in excellent order.
The grey, who won the 2007 Brisbane Cup and the 2008 Group One Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick, is weighted on 55kg in the Group Two Perth Cup (2400m) on New Year's Day in which Scenic Shot has topweight of 60kg and Largo Lad 54.5kg.
Picture - Fiona Tomlin
