3 minute read
Ballarat trainer Darren Weir is hoping a trip to Burrumbeet and some hurdles can spark True Courser into action in tomorrow’s Christopher Stear Handicap at Moonee Valley.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Run over the Cox Plate journey, tomorrow’s race is certainly no weight-for-age feature but has a number of in-form winter stayers engaged.
The talented True Courser, a winner of the Hobart, Bendigo and Warrnambool Cups, has lost all form this season, his best effort recently being a fourth placing at Caulfield behind You Sexy Boy.
He has raced well below that at his next two starts and last start the stirrup broke at the start and he plodded around and officially failed to finish.
While not going to the races with any confidence tomorrow, Weir is hoping schooling him at Burrumbeet during the week can sharpen his attitude.
“He’s been racing poorly so went to Burrumbeet and schooled,” Weir said. “Hopefully that will sharpen him up.”
True Courser will be ridden by Jamie Mott and is a winner at the track but will be long odds tomorrow.
Baughurst, a top winner at the track and distance last start, is the early favourite.
Meanwhile Weir is also worried about the track conditions for Virvacity in the McDonald Steeplechase.
The talented chaser also went to Burrumbeet where he schooled and finished in front of Some Are Bent.
“He’s in really good order,” Weir said. “A heavy 10 wouldn’t be ideal but he’ll definitely be going around.”
All seven of the gelding’s career wins have been on good to dead track, although he has placed in slow to heavy and at his last start over the jumps ran fourth to Spanish Symbol in the St Steven Steeplechase with a big weight.
He drops 3kg on that for today’s race where Thomas Logan has the ride.
