Plumtastic Could Be One Out Of The Box
- Tuesday, 27 July 2010 06:15
Robbie Laing has high hopes for promising jumper Plumtastic who faces a tougher test in Wednesday's Pedro's Pride Steeplechase at Sandown.
Plumtastic could hardly have been more impressive when he romped home by 20 lengths at his fencing debut in a Moe Maiden Steeple (3375m) last Saturday week.
"He might just be one out of the box. He's a very good horse," Laing said.
"I've had the horse for a couple of years. He came from Perth as a lightly-raced horse.
"He's a huge horse with a head like a 44-gallon drum.
"He's a dyed-in-the-wool, old-fashioned `chaser with no flat ability and he jumps too big for hurdles but the other day at Moe he was a revelation.
"He gained a length at every fence, was 12 lengths in front on the turn, won by 20 and could have won by 30."
By Pricelessly, a son of 1978 US Triple Crown winner Affirmed, Plumtastic is a half-brother to Maneroo Lue who was beaten a short half-head in the 2005 Listed Ballarat Cup (2200m) and later won over hurdles at Sandown.
Plumtastic's dam, the unraced mare Got The Taste, is a daughter of speedster Martec who won the 1983 Group Three Debutant Stakes (900m) at Caulfield and Group Two Maribyrnong Plate (1200m) at Flemington.
The Moe win was Plumtastic's first in 19 career starts having been third in a 2088m Moe Maiden, second in a 3380m Bairnsdale Jumpers Flat and runner-up in a Warrnambool Maiden Hurdle.
Paul Hamblin will ride Plumtastic while Brad McLean has been engaged to ride stablemate Sir Pentire in the same race.
Laing is looking for an improvement from Sir Pentire who ran last in the Tom Corrigan Hurdle (3550m) at Warrnambool on July 11.
The 2009 Grand Annual winner, now rising 11, shaded the talented Morsonique in winning a 2800m steeple trial at Moe last Thursday.
Sir Pentire is heading towards the Grand National Steeple, a race in which he was runner-up to Pentiffic last August.
The Michael Trinder-trained Morsonique made a winning debut over fences at Sandown when he defeated Our Santa by 2-1/4 lengths over 3400m on July 7.
Vindicating, third to Black And Bent in the Australian Hurdle and runner-up to the classy Some Are Bent in the Tom Corrigan Hurdle, and Corries will be Laing's runners in Wednesday's The Shu Hurdle (3400m).
Hamblin will ride Vindicating in the small field of seven while Adam Trinder will be aboard Corries who was runner-up in the Australian Hurdle.
Picture: Colin Bull
