The Little Dance on Melbourne Cup day at Randwick is the mission for the Ciaron Maher-trained St Lawrence, who has ended a 15-month drought from the winner’s list with his victory in Saturday’s Alinta Energy Handicap (1600m).
Starting at $10, the six-year-old passed the qualifying clause for the Little Dance with his Goulburn Cup placing two starts ago and went one better at Randwick, overhauling Chica Mojito ($3.10 betting fav) by a half-length.
“It was a good run in the Goulburn Cup the other day. We thought with that placing we might be able to sneak him into a Little Dance, we thought that was probably his level,” Maher said.
“We were planning on rolling forward here today, it was a bit of an awkward draw. But he didn’t step that well and Tommy (Berry), he’s riding great, and we were happy he rode him quiet and finished off.”
Maher has been alternating St Lawrence between his three NSW bases at Warwick Farm, Bong Bong and Bob’s Farm near Newcastle to keep him mentally fresh, given the horse kicked off his current campaign in April.
“He has been up for a while, but a change is as good as a holiday sometimes,” Maher said.