Trainer James Cummings is quietly confident that his colt Good Standing can knock off the favourites in the Group 2 $200,000 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Good Standing is on the third line of betting with Ladbrokes.com.au at $7 in the six horse Stan Fox Stakes field behind the Team Hawkes trained Divine Prophet at $2.30 and John O’Shea’s Impending at $2.80.
Good Standing finished fifth to Astern last start in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 10 just behind third and fourth placegetters Impending and Divine Prophet and Cummings thinks he can turn around the result on Saturday.
The small field and the step up to the 1500m will suit Good Standing and Cummings is expecting a bold showing.
“I think the horse is enjoying his work as he is getting closer to that 1500m, 1600m race programing,” Cummings Sky Racing News.
“If he has a little back to follow going into the straight, it might be a bit of a different story than horses like Impending peeling off him and getting him the last bit.”
Cummings had also accepted with Good Standing in the Group 3 $175,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday but decided to stay home and take on the local colts.
Good Standing is currently a $51 chance for the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 8 and a win in the Stan Fox Stakes will shorten up his odds considerably while Divine Prophet at $4.60 and Impending at $6.50 are at the top of the market order.
Market order for the Stan Fox Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.30 Divine Prophet, $2.80 Impending, $7 Good Standing, $9.50 Mediterranean, $13 Thronum, $34 Cellarman.