Dynamic sprinter Redzel can stretch his winning streak to six with a victory in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Redzel, above, is chasing his sixth win on the trot in the 2017 Darley Classic. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Redzel made it five wins in a row when he out sprinted his rivals to take out the inaugural running of the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14 and heads the betting for the Darley Classic at $4.40 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Co-trainer Peter Snowden said that Redzel has thrived since his history making win in The Everest and will be hard to beat again.
“I couldn’t be happier with how the horse has trained on since The Everest,” Snowden told Triple Crown Syndications who race the five year old.
“He’s in a fantastic place and is very happy in himself. We’ve given him a month between races again when we know he’s at his very best and he’ll be tough to beat again on Saturday.
“We’ll see how the track plays but we’re happy with the draw as the horse has fantastic gate speed and has already shown that he’s adaptable in leading or tracking the leaders.
“His work on Tuesday was excellent and it’s all systems go for Saturday.”
The Everest winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy takes the mount again on Redzel who drew barrier ten in the fourteen horse field.
It is hard to foresee how the Flemington straight is going play out on the final day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival after the field split in two in the last race on VRC Oaks Day on Thursday, the Group 3 $200,000 Kennedy Plate (1100m).
Hugh Bowman elected to stay up against the inside fence on eventual winner Jorda and had a head to spare over runner up I Am Excited who came down the grandstand side for Blake Shinn.
Redzel was a winner down the Flemington straight on VRC Oaks Day last year when he took out the Listed $150,000 Mumm Stakes (1000m) and has also claimed a Group 1 prize since with his all the way win in the Group 1 $700,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1200m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic is next in the market order at $5 just ahead of Chautauqua at $6.50 and Impending and In Her Time who share the next line of betting at $8.
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic finished second to Redzel in The Everest before running fifth to Hey Doc in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on October 27.