Jerome Hunter realistic about Black Caviar Lightning chances
Jerome Hunter knows the odds are stacked against his mare Rich Fortune in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
But at the end of the day, Rich Fortune will collect a minimum of $20,000 just for competing in the Group 1 sprint over 1000m on Saturday.
“That is a guarantee,” Hunter told RSN.
“It’s such a small field and anything can happen.
“She’s definitely the rank outsider, but she is going well and hopefully she has a good day, and they have a bad day.”
With only eight runners, prize money is paid down to eighth with the last three placings all in line to pick up $20,000, growing to $25,000 for fifth with the winner to collect $600,000.
Rich Fortune is the $101 outsider with Imperatriz dominating the market as the $1.80 top elect.
Under the weight-for-age conditions, Rich Fortune will carry the same weight as Imperatriz on Saturday, but if it was a handicap she would be in receipt of 17kg.
“Realistically, I would be happy to beat a couple home,” Hunter said.
“They’re Australia’s best horses, we haven’t proven it yet, but you have to be in it.
“You can’t win the raffle if you don’t buy a ticket.”
After winning a Stakes race at Sandown last autumn at her third race start, Rich Fortune has been around the mark in her six subsequent starts.
Hunter said Rich Fortune will not be lacking for fitness on Saturday and the race will give the trainer a guide as to how well she is going.
He has plans of heading to a mares’ handicap over 1100m at Flemington on March 2.
“A few things haven’t gone to plan,” Hunter said.
“She’s over-raced in a couple of her races and then she’s been too far back, like last start, when it was a leader’s track, but she ran enormous.
“The horse is going well, and you hope they can take the next level.
“She hasn’t shown that yet, but we’ll get a guide on Saturday as to how she measures up to these sort of horses.
“There’s a mare’s race on March 2 that I’m aiming her at, and this fits in.”
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