AFTER masterminding a stirring Jayco Bendigo Cup victory in 2018, trainer Brent Stanley is anticipating a much more relaxed day at the Bendigo racecourse on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Stanley will have two runners in action, though neither will be lining up in the cup race, won last year by his tough-as-nails stayer Red Alto.
The Sutton Grange-trainer will have the former Darren Weir-trained galloper Haski contesting a 1300m benchmark 78, while his promising four-year-old Smart Horse will line-up in a 1300m benchmark 78 event.
Stanley considers both solid chances in open races.
"Haski ran really well second-up after a long-time, when third at Seymour. He went sensational," he said.
"He'll strip fitter from that and he's back on a track and a course he has won on before.
"I think he can run really well.
"And Smart Horse should have won last start, he got held up terribly in behind them (at Horsham).
"He's going back to his same grade on his home track, so he reckon he can run well from a tricky barrier."
Haski has had 10 starts for Stanley since his transfer to Sutton Grange for five wins and three placings.
A win to the lightly-raced seven-year-old would make it back-to-back wins for Bendigo trainers in the Bet365 Racing Refund Benchmark 78 Handicap, after the win of the Mick Sell-trained Carlingford in last year's race.
Both of Stanley's cup day runners will be ridden by Harry Coffey.
Stanley is no stranger to success on Bendigo Cup day, after emerging with a winning-double last year with the the four-year-old mare As It Lies and obviously Red Alto.
"We had a fair few more runners last cup day, so it will obviously be a bit more relaxed day this time," he said.
"But I'd still love to get a winner on cup day."
Stanley said last year's Bendigo Cup winner was likely to have his next run on Oaks Day at Flemington.
"He is going to take a couple more runs to come up, but he is coming along good," he said of the seven-year-old gelding, who has had two runs this preparation in the Listed Seymour Cup (1600m) and Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
Stanley has moved a handful of runners, including Haski, Lucky Fish and Invincible Lotus, into his on-course facility at Bendigo racecourse and, going forward, plans to rotate horses through there and his establishment at Sutton Grange.
The three-time Group race-winning trainer was rapt with the performance of emerging colt Truffle House in the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes last Saturday at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by Luke Currie, the three-year-old finished a fast-finishing fifth behind the highly-rated Sartorial Splendor and was one of few horses in the field making up ground on the winner at the end of the 1200m race.
"His run was enormous. He ran to the line really well and probably could have ended up second or third," he said.
"He will run against on Stakes day at Flemington (November 9) in a 1400m race."
Stanley has trained 10 winners this season, his latest coming with Donndubhan at Echuca last Friday and It's Kind of Magic at Ballarat last Thursday.
READ MORE:
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
