The Offer Building Up For Melbourne Cup
- Sunday, 24 August 2014 08:15
Gai Waterhouse is taking a steady approach with Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer as she aims for back-to-back wins in the famous race.
Fiorente began his 2013 Cup campaign in the Memsie Stakes but Saturday's race comes too soon for The Offer with the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes a week later a possibility.
The Offer put in a pleasing performance when fourth in a 1250m barrier trial on the Kensington track before Saturday's Randwick meeting.
"I thought he trialled nicely but I need to lift his fitness levels," Waterhouse said.
"He will have another trial or a racecourse gallop and go to Melbourne in a couple of weeks.
"He could start off in the Dato Tan Chin Nam."
Fiorente won the 2013 Group Two Dato Tan (1600m) and followed a weight-for-age path, running third in the Cox Plate, his Cup lead-up.
The Offer is not entered for the Cox Plate but is among the nominations for the Caulfield Cup.
The winner of the Sydney Cup over 3200 metres, the same distance he needs to run at Flemington, The Offer spent his early career with Aidan O'Brien in Ireland.
He showed his maturity with his three wins during the autumn including his Group One breakthrough in the Sydney Cup.
There were three trials run at Randwick on Saturday after several changes to the schedule due to last week's wet weather in Sydney.
Waterhouse believes it is crucial to give the better horses the better surfaces and is a fan of raceday gallops.
She said it was important the Group and Listed horses were given the opportunity on Saturday for a hit-out on the Kensington track.
"The Australian Turf Club should be given credit," she said.
"We should be doing it more often."
The Offer is the TAB's $11 Melbourne Cup favourite ahead of Japanese horse Bande and La Amistad at $17.
La Amistad, a younger sister of triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, began her latest campaign with an eye-catching third in the last week's Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury.
