The powerful Lloyd Williams racing team dominates the nominations for next Wednesday’s $300,000 Jayco Bendigo Cup (2400m).
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Williams has six of the 26 entries for the Group Three race – headed by Herbert Power Handicap winner Assign.
The six-year-old is the highest rated horse in the entries and Williams hasn’t ruled out running the stayer in Bendigo as a final hit-out before the Melbourne Cup.
Williams also has Foundry, Gallante, Morning Mix, Nevis and Our Century entered for the Bendigo Cup.
Foundry is a lightly-raced son of Galileo who has struggled with injury problems. The seven-year-old has run two encouraging placings at his first two starts this campaign.
Gallante won the Sydney Cup in the autumn and ran a slashing first-up second in the Naturalism Stakes. The six-year-old looks set to run in Saturday’s Moonee Valley Cup rather than head to Bendigo.
Morning Mix is the lowest rated horse of the Williams six. The five-year-old is yet to win in three starts in Australia in restricted class racing.
Nevis is yet to run at 2400m, but he is proven at the Bendigo track having won the Golden Mile in March this year.
Our Century is the most intriguing of Williams’ runners. The six-year-old missed more than two years of racing after moving from England to Australia.
His two runs this spring have been most encouraging, including a last start win over 2400m in restricted class at Caulfield. The Bendigo Cup would be a step up in class, but the son of Montjeu has more upside than most of his rivals.
Leading trainer Darren Weir has four entries for the Bendigo Cup.
South Australian Derby winner Howard Be Thy Name is the most high-profile of Weir’s quartet.
The four-year-old rose to prominence with his SA Derby win and Grand Prix Stakes placing in the autumn. He has failed to fire in three runs this campaign but his best form would be good enough to win the Bendigo Cup.
Weir also has Master Zephyr (a Moonee Valley Cup acceptor, the consistent Black Tomahawk and Tooleybuc Kid entered for Bendigo.
As expected, Godolphin Racing nominated Francis Of Assisi for Bendigo. Trainer Charlie Appleby also entered Second Wave, but the stayer is more likely to run in the Moonee Valley Cup.
Adam O’Neill is the only Bendigo trainer to nominate a horse for the Cup.
Desert Samurai has finished in the top three in 12 of his 20 starts for O’Neill. The five-year-old is coming off a third placing in the Avoca Cup.
2014 Bendigo Cup winner Bring Something looks set to return for another crack at the major prize for Cranbourne trainer Ken Keys.
Other intriguing entries for the Bendigo Cup include the Lee Freedman-trained duo Authoritarian and Dreaded, veteran stayer Crafty Cruiser, last start Caulfield winner Ferro Nero and Caulfield Cup runner Go Dreaming.
The final field for the Bendigo Cup will be released on Monday.