Merlot primed for Kilmore Cup
Story By by Gary Crispe
Sunday, 17 February 2008:  | | Merlot Now |
The seven-year-old is racing in career best form and looks hard to hold out at his second attempt at today's race.
Last year, the gelding started 40/1 and was towards the tail throughout before being held up.
He hit the line hard, though, and finished a three length fourth behind At The Oasis.
This year Merlot Now has gone to the next level and has been super honest in similar grade through nine runs this time in.
In that nine runs he has recorded three wins, five placings, and a luckless eighth when set a tough task coming off a moderate speed.
Aside from his fresh-up run, each start of this campaign has been in stakes grade, winning the Listed John D Lee Stakes (1800m), the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup (1600m) and the Listed Classic Mile (1600m).
He has placed in the Listed Balaklava Cup (1600m), the Listed Cleanevent Stakes (1600m), the Listed O.J.Smith Challenge (1800m) and in the Listed Birthday Cup (1800m).
Two starts ago he won the Classic Mile at Morphettville when racing at the tail throughout before coming with his powerful run to win by a head over his Adelaide arch-rival Exalted Ego.
Last start, in the Birthday Cup, that galloper turned the tables on Merlot Now, who again came with a strong run but couldn't reel in the winner.
The effort by Merlot Now was a couple of lengths below his previous run but he is expected to bounce back this time as he meets a field rated about a length easier.
He drops 1.5kg in the weights and the wide gate, while devastating to some runners, isn't as bad for this galloper as he drifts back and hits the line hard.
The big field and good pace will suit and over the mile will be charging home late.
The Lee Freedman-trained Great Is Great is racing better than his form looks and is well placed in this grade.
The gelding was close to a win in the spring with placings in much strong races like the Salinger and Sandown Stakes, before a let-up over December.
He resumed in the Group 3 Standish on New Year's Day and drew the wrong side of the track but wasn't disgraced when 10th, beaten 3.4 lengths behind Publishing, before stepping up to 1410m in the Chester Manifold Stakes at Flemington, where he worked home strongly to finish fifth, beaten 2.6 lengths behind Stickpin.
Last start, also over 1400m at Flemington, he had a big weight and a wide gate and worked home well to finish sixth, beaten 1.8 lengths, behind Molotov in a strong race.
This field is rated about a length easier but he has the same weight and has drawn the same gate.
The extra trip suits, though, and on his spring form would prove hard to beat in this grade.
In-form galloper Orbit Express tackles tougher grade this time but down in the weights should give a big sight.
The Steve McKinnon-trained gelding has three wins from his last five starts.
After winning restricted race over 1400m at Cranbourne and 1500m at Ballarat, he went back to town over 1533m at Moonee Valley and placed behind Davincis Secret.
The gelding has been entered and scratched a couple of times since then but McKinnon has settled on today's race where he gelding has the minimum weight and inside draw.
He is a pace runner and from the gate jockey Greg Childs should be able to position himself in the first few, if not the lead, and from there will take catching.
The query runner in the race is New Zealand galloper Sand Sweeper.
Prepared by John Wheeler the gelding is a winner of 10 of his 36 starts and his form is good for this, including a last start sixth behind smart galloper Sir Slick over 1400m at Awapanui.
He goes well second-up, the trip suits, he drops nicely in the weights and can only be fitter.
He has drawn well for Vlad Duric and is worth keeping safe.
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