A gutsy performance from race favourite Gregers saw the punters clean up in race seven at Caulfield today with David Hayes & Tom Dabernig saddling up the winner in the WW Cockram Stakes 2014.
Gregers is 2014 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes bound after her Cockram Stakes win at Caulfield. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Second-up for the season on the back of an impressive three and a half length victory against her own kind at the track a fortnight ago, Commands four-year-old Gregers made it back-to-back Caulfield wins with a brave run in the $150,000 Group 3 Sportingbet Sprint Series Heat 1 Stakes (1200m) on Memsie Stakes Day.
Going out as the $2.15 favourite, Gregers was ridden by Craig Williams and was able to hold off her rivals and secure a Group 1 target next start this spring.
She had a quarter length to spare over Peter Moody’s Group 3 winner an pacesetter today A Time For Julia ($7.50) in the end, while an outstanding run from Atlantic Jewel’s three-quarter sister Commanding Jewel ($8.50) saw her finish third in a photo for the placings just pushed out of second.
A Time For Julia was taken straight to the lead by Luke Nolen in the Cockram with Gregers and Williams going up with her from side-by-side barriers.
Eventual third placed Commanding Jewel, winner of the 2012 Thousand Guineas but regulated to just three runs since including today’s effort due to injury setbacks, meanwhile was inside a fair way off them early.
By the turn for home A Time For Julia led by just a neck from Real Surreal on the fence with Commanding Jewel, who ran super and who is tipped to be winning next time, trying to find a run switched to the inside.
Gregers thought was too good in the end and won narrowly with the first tow home high class on-speed runners suited to the moderate tempo.
The punters had the Cockram Stakes trifecta spot on today with the only three mares at single-figures in the markets running the order of the odds with class prevailing in the lead-up to the better spring races.
“Three very good fillies to follow for the spring,” was Hayes’ evaluation after the race.
“But my girl just had the edge of race fitness on them.
“It was tougher than the other day.”
Group 1 performed already six times previously, next-up connections are looking at extending Greg over more distance for a shot at the $400,000 Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) back at the track on September 28.
“We’ll probably head for a 1400m run in the Rupert Clarke in a month,” Hayes confirmed.
“She makes her own luck and it’s a real pleasure to have the on-speed classy fillies.”
The 1400m is a distance she’s saluted over before when winning the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude over the distance last September before a third behind Guelph in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas up over a mile the following month.
That then opens up all kids of possibilities looking even further ahead, perhaps even a shot at the $500,000 Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, November 1.
Head over to Ladbrokes.com.au now to open your with the country’s premier online bookie who are offering all the best spring markets including those on Gregers next race!
2014 W.W. Cockram Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Caulfield Race 7 – 30/08/2014
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | GREGERS | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Craig Williams | – | 7 | 58kg | $2.15F |
| 2 | 6 | A TIME FOR JULIA | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 0.4L | 6 | 57kg | $7.50 |
| 3 | 2 | COMMANDING JEWEL | Leon & Troy Corstens | Damien Oliver | 0.5L | 1 | 59kg | $8.50 |
| 4 | 13 | FOREVER LOVED (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | Vlad Duric | 1.75L | 8 | 55kg | $31 |
| 5 | 1 | DEAR DEMI | Clarry Conners | Brad Rawiller | 2.5L | 11 | 59kg | $26 |
| 6 | 11 | HAZARD | Anthony Freedman | Nicholas Hall | 3.25L | 4 | 55kg | $19 |
| 7 | 10 | REAL SURREAL | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 3.45L | 2 | 55kg | $7 |
| 8 | 5 | BONARIA | Pat Hyland | Glyn Schofield | 4.45L | 3 | 57kg | $31 |
| 9 | 12 | SINO EAGLE | Peter G Moody | Glen Boss | 5.95L | 9 | 55kg | $18 |
| 10 | 8 | FIVE ALL | Darren Weir | Ms Michelle Payne | 6.35L | 10 | 57kg | $61 |
| 11 | 7 | THIAMANDI | Lloyd Kennewell | Michael Rodd | 9.35L | 5 | 57kg | $13 |
| – | 9 | JOY | Robert Smerdon | Mark Zahra | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 4 | SCANDIVA | Anthony Cummings | Craig Newitt | – | 0 | – | – |
