Hippopus To Start Gai's Melbourne Season
- Thursday, 31 July 2014 07:42
A lack of suitable races in Sydney has provided Gai Waterhouse with an opportunity to continue her amazing run of form at Moonee Valley.
Waterhouse won seven races from just 17 starters at Moonee Valley during the 2013-2014 season with her haul including Group Two wins with Fiorente, Divine Calling and Pheidon.
She has sent stayer Hippopus to Melbourne to take on six rivals in the first city race of the new season, The Valley Handicap (2040m).
Tulloch Lodge representative Mark Newnham says Sydney's recent dry spell is another reason Hippopus will begin his campaign in Melbourne.
"There is just nothing to start him off up here in Sydney," Newnham said.
"We've had no rain here and there are a lack of races up here at this time of the year for open company horses up over a distance."
Hippopus has had two starts in Victoria, winning the Listed VRC St Leger as a three-year-old before an unplaced finish in last year's Bendigo Cup.
Newnham says the layout of the Moonee Valley track gives Hippopus a chance to handle the course at his first start on the tricky circuit.
"I think Moonee Valley is probably an easier track for Sydney horses to adapt to than the flatter tracks," Newnham said.
Hippopus will carry 57.5kg in his first-up assignment but Newnham says the stayer is well weighted on the strength of his Group placings in the Neville Sellwood Stakes and Chairman's Handicap during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Newnham said those efforts gave the stable hope the High Chaparral gelding could improve enough to be competitive in better races during the spring.
"That level just below the top looks to be where he is at the moment but we're always hopeful he'll make the jump to better races," Newnham said.
"He's probably best placed in Melbourne early in the spring because he enjoys the sting out of the ground."
Waterhouse has engaged Vlad Duric to ride Hippopus in Saturday's race for which bookmakers have posted him a $3.60 second favourite.
Punters have backed the Mick Kent-trained Vintage Lad from $9 into $6.50 while Shenzhou Steeds has firmed from $4 into $3.60 after four solid runs back from a spell.
