Southern Speed’s Australian Cup campaign in on track with trainer Leon Macdonald declaring the four-year-old mare is peaking ahead of the Group Two Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield.
Macdonald said the Caulfield Cup winner, who won the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) first-up, had trained on from her eye-catching second to Black Caviar two weeks ago in the Group One Orr Stakes (1400m).
“She’s done very well,” Macdonald told Radio Sport National.
“I’m very happy with the way she has come on and she looks extremely well.”
Only three Caulfield Cup winners have won the Peter Young Stakes, formerly the St George Stakes, in the last 20 years.
Let’s Elope (1992), Northerly (2003) and Elvstroem (2005) all completed the double and this campaign is shaping as potentially Southern Speed’s best yet.
“She is almost to where we want her now, I’m sure,” Macdonald said.
“She’s a bit tighter than she was before the Orr so she should be very well suited by the 1800 (metres),” Macdonald said.
“It was always our plan to have the two 1400-metre runs and this race as a lead-up to the (Australian) Cup,” Macdonald said.
Southern Speed heads TAB Sportsbet’s market at $3 while impressive first-up winner Manighar is considered a big danger at $4.20.
The Bart Cummings-trained imported stayer Illo will also be better suited at 1800m after finishing fourth in the Orr Stakes and is at $6 just ahead of Melbourne Cup placegetter Lucas Cranach ($6.50) and Glass Harmonium ($7) who are both resuming.
After the $1 million Australian Cup on March 10, Southern Speed’s Sydney campaign includes the $400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on March 24 and The BMW (2400m) on April 7.
Anthony Freedman said Lucas Cranach was fit and well, but believes he may need Saturday’s run.
“I think he will probably need further than on Saturday but it is only a bit of gut feeling,” Freedman said.
Nash Rawiller is having his first ride on Lucas Cranach but Freedman believes his “busy” riding style should suit the five-year-old who was third in last year’s Melbourne Cup.