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Gai Waterhouse and her new training partner Adrian Bott will go in search of their first country feature race win at Port Macquarie on Friday.
The Waterhouse/Bott team will start the topweight Caped Crusader in Friday’s $100,000 Carlton Mid Port Macquarie Cup (2000m) with Adam Hyeronimus booked for the ride.
The stable is also sending the 2013 VRC St Leger winner Hippopus to Port Macquarie with Caped Crusader. He will be having his first start after a spell in the $40,000 Fastplast Building Supplies Handicap (1500m).The pair will be the first Port Macquarie starters for Waterhouse since a fifth place with Merensky Reef in the 2012 Port Macquarie Cup. Her only previous Port Macquarie Cup runner was the unplaced Better Still in 2001.
Caped Crusader is burdened with 61kg but he brings high class form to the race, coming off a last start second in the G2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill where he led and was run down late by Moral Victory after being given little peace in front by other runners.Bott, fresh from celebrating his first G1 win with Waterhouse in last Saturday’s Flight Stakes at Randwick, said Caped Crusader will appreciate stepping up in distance on Friday.
“The Port Cup looks an ideal race for him. It’s nice prize money and fits in nicely with the program we have mapped out for him.”Caped Crusader is the winner of four city races up to 1800m but was unplaced in his two starts over 1900m and 2000m at Rosehill.
Kathy O’Hara rode Caped Crusader in the Shannon Stakes but Hyeronimus has been his rider in 10 of his 13 career starts including all his four wins.“Adam has a good understanding of the horse and knows how to ride him,” Bott said.
“He is a go-forward horse and we won’t change his usual pattern of leading or racing just off the pace.“He ran a mighty race in the Shannon because they attacked him in the lead the whole way and he kept fighting.
“We think he is in the best form of his career. The one query is the trip but we think he is ready for the step up to this distance.”Caped Crusader is programed to head to Melbournhe after Friday’s race for a Listed race over 1800m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.
Hyeronimus will also ride Hippopus, who is ready to run a bold race fresh after two recent Sydney trials.Waterhouse and Bott have won 17 races since their partnership became official on August 1.
