42 horses have been included in the nominations for the 2015 Perth Cup that will be held at Ascot on New Year’s Day.
Bass Strait is one of 42 horses that have been included in the 2014 Perth Cup nominations. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Justin Warwick won the 2015 edition of the Perth Cup with Black Tycoon and could have four chances to record back-to-back wins in the Group 2 event after he included Global Flirt, Lucciola, Son Of Something and Uncle George in the nominations.
Global Flirt has contested the past two editions of the Perth Cup, finishing third behind Talent Show in 2013 and sixth behind Black Tycoon last year, and stamped himself as a genuine contender for the 2014 edition of the race with an upset win in the Listed Tattersall’s Cup (2100m) at Ascot on November 22.
Son Of Something was far from disgraced when second in the same race and he won the Listed Northam Cup (1600m) in July, while Lucciola missed the placings in the Tattersall’s Cup and Uncle George resumed with a close second at Ascot on November 29.
The Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) is always a key lead-up race to the Perth Cup and a number of horses set to contest the Group 1 event at Ascot on Saturday have been included in the Perth Cup nominations.
Railway Stakes runner-up Balmont Girl, former David Hayes-trained galloper Bass Strait, 2013 Perth Cup runner-up Mr Moet, Fred Kersley-trained Operational, injury-plagued Chester Road, talented mare Pop Culture, Group 1 winner Ihtsahymn, Anthony Cummings-owned Strike The Stars and Kingston Town Classic emergencies Real Love and Red Blast have all been included in the 2014 Kingston Town Classic field and are a chance of running in the Perth Cup next month.
One of the most interesting runners in the 2014 Perth Cup nominations is imported stayer Martinvast.
Martinvast was touted as a potential Perth Cup contender last year while he was under the care of Gerald Ryan, but connections opted not to take the Hurricane Run gelding to Perth and he instead ran in the Listed Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) at Royal Randwick.
The six-year-old joined the stable of rising young trainer Archie Alexander in September and he has performed well without winning in his last three starts; with the promising stayer narrowly denied a second race win in Australia in the Adapt Australian Handicap (2500m) at Moonee Valley on November 14.
Talent Show won the 2012 edition of the Perth Cup, but the veteran mare has not recorded a race win since her Perth Cup triumph and beat home just a single runner in the Tattersall’s Cup.
Mobaco, Rowie, Starlight Lady, Driver West and God Has Spoken have also been included in the 2014 Perth Cup nominations.
