Talented Speycaster shooting for Stayer’s Cup repeat
With perseverance and a strategic shift, Speycaster is poised for another shot at the Stayer’s Cup (2400m), looking to replicate his success from 2023.
Chris Waller opted to move the six-year-old gelding from Victoria to Sydney after a poor run of form. While his initial outing in the Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) didn't turn heads, his late run to finish fourth in the Winter Cup (2400m) indicated better things ahead.
“He was much better last start,” assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said. “He had been really plain and needed to lift but he did. I thought he was almost going to win at one point.”
“It’s just ultimately match fitness, especially with those older geldings.”
Speycaster followed the same script last year, coming off a poor Winter Cup before winning the Stayer’s Cup. He’ll again take on a largely out-of-form field and is rated a solid $6.50 contender.
Among the opposition is Alegron, last year’s Brisbane Cup winner, who returns to Sydney after a Queensland campaign that failed to deliver.
“He hasn’t been racing at his best but he hasn’t had any luck with tracks and the speed of races,” Luke Hilton explained. “If he can find his best he’s in that race on Saturday.”
Casual Connection tops the market at $3.10, with Alegron at $9.
Thinking of having a flutter on the Stayer’s Cup? Discover the best online bookmakers in Australia at Just Horse Racing.
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