Late maturer Cabeza De Vaca will take his Winx form into the Group 2 $250,000 Bisley Workwear Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Cabeza De Vaca, above, is one of the main fancies for the 2018 Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Cabeza De Vaca has only been to the races on eighteen occasions but the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained seven year old wasn’t disgraced last start when she ran fifth to Winx, only beaten three and a half lengths, in the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 18.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott was very pleased with Cabeza De Vaca’s first up effort and expects the gelding to be hard to beat in the Chelmsford Stakes.
“Cabeza De Vaca put in a really good run first-up and he’s proven at the track and distance so it will be a really nice race for him,” Bott told The Daily Telegraph.
“He’s ready to give it a shake.”
Cabeza De Vaca is yet to win at Stakes level but did run second to Crack Me Up in the Group 2 $250,000 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last December.
Josh Parr takes over the reins from Tim Clark and Cabeza De Vaca drew barrier three in the fifteen horse Chelmsford Stakes field.
The Tulloch Lodge Team will also saddle up the Brisbane Cup winner Sedanzer who has drawn barrier twelve in the original draw with Tim Clark in the saddle.
Bott is anticipating a forward showing from Sedanzer first up in the Chelmsford Stakes but expects her chances to get better as she steps up in distance later into her Spring Carnival campaign.
“Sedanzer has a really good turn of foot, which means she’s well placed here, but we’re probably looking at stretching her up in trip,” Bott said.
Cabeza De Vaca is well in contention on the third line of betting at $7.50 for the Chelmsford Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au while Sedanzer is also at single digit odds at $9.
The Chris Waller trained Unforgotten sits at the top of the market order at $3.80 and has drawn nicely at barrier five for Hugh Bowman.
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