The Chris Waller stable is hoping for some soft conditions for their trio in the Group 3 $200,000 Livamol Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) at the Metropolitan class standalone meeting at Hawkesbury on Saturday.
McCreery, above, is one of three Chris Waller trained runners in the 2018 Hawkesbury Gold Cup at Hawkesbury. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Waller stable will saddle up three runners, McCreery, Mister Sea Wolf and My Nordic Hero and racing manager Charlie Duckworth said he is hoping the predicted forecast of some rain eventuates before the running of the Hawkesbury Gold Cup.
The Hawkesbury track was rated a Good 4 on Friday morning.
“All three of these runners will be benefitted enormously if the rain did come,” Duckworth said on the Waller weekly update.
“Rosehill looks pretty dark and gloomy today (Thursday) and hopefully that will come and soften up the track.”
Tye Angland takes over from Craig Williams on McCreery who is coming off a last start fourth in the Group 3 $150,000 The Daily Telegraph Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 31 and Duckworth said a good draw at barrier two will be a significant advantage this week.
“It is good to see that McCreery has drawn well in barrier two. He was scratched from a wide draw last Saturday. He is certainly in good form and I am sure he can rattle home,” Duckworth said.
Mister Sea Wolf has drawn awkwardly at barrier nine in the eleven horse Hawkesbury Gold Cup field with Kerrin McEvoy taking over the reins from Jay Ford who was aboard the six year old last start when last of sixteen in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on day one of The Championships.
Mister Sea Wolf has had a little freshen up and Duckworth said that the European import will appreciate the drop back in class.
“He is back to a more suitable grade on Saturday,” Duckworth said.
“Kerrin galloped him on Tuesday morning and was really happy with his work, said he was nice and sharp. Barrier slightly awkward but we will see where he ends up from that gate.”
The stable’s third runner in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup, My Nordic Hero, has been working his way up through the grades and Duckworth said that the import will still need another run before hitting top fitness with only one run back from a spell for an eighth in a 1400m BenchMark 93 Handicap at Rosehill on March 31.
Tim Clark takes over from Michael Walker on My Nordic Hero who has also drawn out wide at barrier ten.
“Michael Walker was really happy with his fresh up run over an unsuitable journey,” Duckworth said.
“The mile is more up his alley, his work has been good but he might still be a little bit heavy and will benefit from the run.”
Mister Sea Wolf is the most fancied of the three Waller runners in the betting for the Hawkesbury Gold Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au winding him in from $6.50 to $5.50 on race eve while McCreery is marked at $9.50 and My Nordic Hero is one of the outsiders of the field at $19.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bottt trained Ecuador sits at the top of the market order at $3.50.
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