Sydney Trio Swoop

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday October 6, 2008

John Schell

MELBOURNE Cup-winning jockey Michael Rodd believes three Sydney horses are all that stands in the way of Caulfield Guineas glory for the Mark Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou on Saturday.

"I've got no doubt that Whobegotyou has all the horses down here in Melbourne covered. He dominated in the Stutt Stakes so he is a deserving favourite for the Caulfield Guineas," Rodd said yesterday.

However, he was wary of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Dreamscape, the Anthony Cummings-prepared Duporth, and Dulcify Quality winner Rhyno Chaser, which Randwick trainer Kevin Moses will send south for the guineas.

"They are going to be the ones to worry about," Rodd said. "They are the fresh blood and they are all well-performed three-year-olds.

"Dreamscape is the one that I fear most. He has two group-race wins from three starts and Gai has him peaking at the right time. Duporth and Rhyno Chaser are coming off setbacks so they might need a bit to go right for them.

"The only thing I don't want for Whobegotyou is an inside barrier. If he draws inside he could get bailed away on the fence as he is a duffer out of the gates. I'd love to be able to be off the fence and have options in the run with him.

"He has a devastating turn of foot and really does look to be one out of the box. He is a great ride to have in a $1 million race."

Darley will start Von Costa De Hero and Time Thief in the Caulfield Guineas with Kerrin McEvoy to ride one of them.

Waterhouse has Nash Rawiller booked to ride Dreamscape, and the trainer said the colt travelled to Melbourne last week.

"He has settled in really well," she said. "He is a happy chappy. It is a race he is most capable of winning. The form around him is so strong."

Waterhouse said there had been "offers from everywhere" to purchase Dreamscape as a stallion prospect, which did not surprise her. "Why wouldn't there be? He has an immaculate pedigree," she said. "The good thing is Mr [Eduardo] Cojuangco [of Gooree Stud] wants to keep the horse racing. You dream about having a good horse."

San Domenico Stakes and Golden Rose winner Duporth will be ridden by Hugh Bowman in the Caulfield Guineas, and Cummings said he had shaken off any injury concerns that caused him to miss the Spring Stakes at Newcastle.

"He has subsequently raced, and I was pleased with his run in the George Main at weight-for-age," Cummings said of the unplaced effort. "The form out of that looks pretty solid after Theseo won the Epsom. Theseo was a good second in the George Main."

Cummings said Duporth had been in Melbourne for five days and, "He had his first gallop there [Saturday] morning and went very well.

"I know Craig Williams got off him after the George Main and had some issues with his action but he didn't know the horse that well," Cummings said. "I'm confident the horse is spot-on now."

Jockey Danny Nikolic said he would head to Caulfield on Saturday to partner Rhyno Chaser in its bid for a belated group 1 victory after it missed the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick at the weekend.

"It is a shame he had that nail go into a hoof last week and it ruled him out of the Spring Champion," Nikolic said. "I think he would have given that race a real shake. If the race was run [yesterday] then he would have been right to start.

"The stable are very happy with the horse now so I'd expect him to be very competitive in the guineas."

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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