Casuarina trainer Lindsey Smith has his flying four-year-old stayer and early Perth Cup favourite Trap For Fools chasing a sixth win on the trot this Wednesday in W.A.’s Listed $100,000 A.T.A. Stakes (2200m).
International hoop Douglas Whyte (pictured on Glorious Days in Hong Kong) rode 2018 Perth Cup favourite Trap For Fools to victory in the horse’s latest two summer starts. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The gun son of Poet’s Voice has won seven of his past eight starts including his latest five on the trot and will be out to extend the winning streak in Ascot Racecourse’s midweek meeting.
It is part of an ambitious summer racing plan for the up-and-comer heading into the Group 2 $500,000 Perth Cup (2400m) over the mile and a half at Ascot on New Year’s Day.
A horse that performs best with plenty of racing, Trap For Fools is likely to back-up out of the A.T.A. Stakes with another Perth Cup lead-up in Saturday’s Group 2 Ted van Heemst Stakes (2100m) on the incredibly short three day back-up.
“We’ll go to the first one and see how he pulls up, but at this stage he’ll go around in both,” Smith told The West Australian.
“He would have a hard gallop on Wednesday whether it was in a race or at home.
“I’ve done it in the past with success and not many horses come along like this one.
“Years ago I raced them every week quite a lot, but they brought in a rule in WA where you can only race so many times in a month.”
Hong Kong-based hoop Douglas Whyte has ridden the gelding to victory for his past two starts, most recently the two and a quarter-length success in the Listed $100,000 G.A. Towton Cup (2200m) from December 9.
On Wednesday Trap For Fools has a jockey change with Alan Kennedy coming aboard the current $4 equal favourite in futures Perth Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Trap For Fools shares the top line of all-in Perth Cup odds for January 1 with the Justin Warwick-trained Material Man who was last seen running a close second as a $31 roughie in the Group 1 $1 million Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
Material Man is also among the eight Ted Van Heemst Stakes horses accepted for this Saturday along with the Kingston Town Classic winner Pounamu.
“I worked him a bit harder going into his last run,” Smith said of Trap For Fools, taking the advice from Whyte who believed the horse was a bit fresh for his Listed Tattersall’s Cup (2100m) win two back on November 25.
“If he doesn’t come up for Saturday we’ll just wait for the Perth Cup.
“On Saturday he has to race against Group 1 performers at equal weights, which won’t be easy.”
Trap For Fools is drawn barrier six in the Ted Van Heemst Stakes, formerly known as the C.B. Cox Stakes until 2016.