In-form jockey Dwayne Dunn is confident that the addition of glue on shoes to Our Ivanhowe will greatly assist his chances in the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Our Ivanhowe,above, will wear glue on shoes in the Caulfield Cup at Caulfield. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Our Ivanhowe has a history of feet problems and Dunn suggested to co-trainer Lee Freedman on Tuesday morning after working the German import that the addition of the glue on shoes could make the difference.
“I galloped him on Tuesday morning and he went as good as he could go. He gave me a great feel, but he has got a few little issues with his front feet,” Dunn told RSN’s Racing Ahead.
“I was probably the first one to put my hand up and say listen he just needs something there and that’s where Lee come up with the idea to do that (glue on shoes) and you will see a different horse at the races on Saturday.”
Our Ivanhowe has a history of feet problems that plagued him during the Autumn Carnival but he wore glue on shoes when he won the Group 1 $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Freedman took them off after Our Ivanhowe ran fifth to Palentino in the Group 1 $500,000 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 10 but he will race on Saturday with a concussion strip between the hoof and the glue on shoe.
While Dunn said that Our Ivanhowe is going good on the track, he is hoping the special glue on shoes will compensate for the firm surface that is expected for Caulfield with the track rated a Good 3 on Friday afternoon with no rain in sight.
“I think Lee has him going as good as he can. The shoe factor is trying to compensate, we would probably prefer a six or a seven (track rating) but it is going to be little bit firmer than that,” Dunn said.
“We will have plenty of grass on the track though.”
“You couldn’t fault his work the other morning, I was really impressed with it so if he brings that to the races he is going to be very competitive.”
Dunn is hoping to take advantage of Our Ivanhowe’s good barrier draw at six and have the seven year old in a forward position coming to the winning the post the first time.
“I am hoping he is in the first half, be sort of sixth, seventh, maybe a fraction closer,” Dunn said.
“There is usually a little bit of a rush to the first corner. There can always be a bit of a mix up there heading out of the straight the first time. Everyone finds that formation and then wait for the second wave to come over the top of the hill and everyone starts to batten down the hatches and let them fly.”
Dunn said that it was hard to line up the form of the international runners, Scottish, Sir Isaac Newton and Articus as well as Our Ivanhowe’s stablemate Exospheric who will be having his first run in Australia for Lee and Anthony Freedman, but you have to respect their ability.
While he can see the two local mares Jameka and Real Love playing a huge part in the race.
“Very hard the international form, how do you line it up?” Dunn said.
“You have to take them on trust. I don’t think they work as well as what they race. You have to respect because they wouldn’t be here if they thought they weren’t good enough so.”
“They have to be very well respected during the race as we saw with the Japanese when they turned up here. They have some serious horses.”
Dunn is hoping to cap off Caulfield Cup week with another Group 1 victory after claiming a Group 1 double last Saturday with Divine Prophet in the $1m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and with He’s Our Rokkii in the $500,000 IG Markets Toorak Handicap (1600m).
Our Ivanhowe is at the good each way odds of $26 for the Caulfield Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au and is coming off a last start eighth to Hartnell in the Group 1 $500,000 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2.
Crown Oaks winner Jameka sits at the top of the Caulfield Cup market order at $3.70 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of the Darren Weir trained Real Love and English stayer Scottish at $7.50 and German stayer Articus at $9.50
Market order for the Caulfield Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.70 Jameka, $7.50 Real Love, Scottish, $9.50 Articus, $12 Sir Isaac Newton, $13 Exospheric, $14 Sacred Master, $16 Sir John Hawkwood, $17 Tally, $26 Preferment, Our Ivanhowe, $31 Tarzino, $41 Set Square, $51 Pemberley, De Little Engine, $61 Almoonqith, $81 Go Dreaming, $151 Vengeur Masque.
