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“He will be very competitive in a Sydney Cup.”
They were Robbie Dolan's words after he rode Luncies into a midfield finish in the Metropolitan back in October. On Saturday, Dolan is looking forward to the chance to back up that statement.
And after an encouraging effort last weekend the jockey heads into the Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick with the confidence up.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing him get out to that trip, he's been crying out for it,'' he said.
"I rode him in the Metrop six months ago and said he could win a Sydney Cup, and here we are."
The Kris Lees-trained import signalled he was on target for the Cup with a second-up placing in the Randwick City Stakes (2000m) on a heavy 10 back on March 5.
He wasn't as effective in the Queen's Cup at Rosehill but Dolan puts that down to Rosehill being a different beast to Randwick and his closing third in the Group 2 Chairmans Quality (2600m) is what he's going on as the best pointer.
He posted the race's fastest last 600m of 35.80, and last 200m of 12.19 (Punter's Intelligence), in the Chairmans.
"He's okay once he can balance up and attack the line,'' Dolan said.
"That's why he's better at Randwick, it's a completely different surface to Rosehill. You find some horses don't like Rosehill compared to Randwick especially the stayers that need to balance before they quicken.
"Personally I think he's a better horse on a drier track, he does get through a wet track though. It took him 50m to find his feet the other day but once he balanced up he was very good."
Luncies, $9.50 with TAB on Thursday, drew a double figure marble again and jumps from gate 14 which disappointed Dolan a little as he's keen to see him settle in the first half of the field as he was almost able to from another wide gate in the Chairmans.
On heavy ground in tough staying tests he's not too keen to be giving away massive head starts and is banking on the likes of Knights Order and Angel Of Truth to set a reasonably genuine tempo.
"The other day we had him a little bit closer, he was midfield. He just doesn't have a lot of tactical speed early,'' he said.
"The plan was to try and ride him in the first half of the field. It took me a while to get into a position but once he got into the position he started to work into the race.
"It was a leader's run race, nothing really made ground except for me and I thought his last 300m was really good.
"I think it will be a tactical sort of race. I do hope the likes of Angel Of Truth put a bit of speed into it early on. If there is a bit of speed we'll be able to get in and I'd love to be in the first six or eight in the run."
Meanwhile, Dolan is adamant Gin Martini, his ride in the Group 1 $1m The Star Australian Oaks (2400m), should not be a $51 chance.
The John Sargent-trained filly has had to mix her distances in the lead up to the race, winning at 2000m in January and 1890m in February, and Dolan said on her run when third in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) at Goulburn she was heading in the right direction.
"The 1890m back to a mile was going to be a bit tricky for her that day and she actually ran well but it was a real solid run event and we were midfield and able to hit the line well,'' he said.
Since then Gin Martini contested the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes, run over 1850m at Newcastle, and while she finished ninth behind Fangirl it wasn't a bad run in Dolan's eyes.
"The other day, take out Gypsy Goddess, where they were in the run all the horses that were handy finished up there,'' he said.
"She was messing in the gates and stepped away a bit slow, and ended up back on the rail in a position I didn't want to be on her."
