Cluster is still chasing his first ever race win but trainer Anthony Cummings is confident that the consistent colt is good enough to win the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) this weekend.
Cluster finished a narrow third behind Divine Calling and Shamus Award in the Bill Stutt Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Cluster has performed well this campaign without breaking through for a victory and produced another eye-catching performance when he ran home strongly to finish third behind Divine Calling and Shamus Award in the Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 27.
Cummings told Racing Ahead that he was pleased with the son of Fastnet Rock’s performance in the Stutt Stakes and said that he impressive in trackwork this morning.
“I think that was a pretty good run,” Cummings said.
“He gave the eventual winner a couple of lengths start and ran it down to about a neck.
“It was his first run Melbourne way around, his first run at night and his first run at the valley so there were quite a few things for him to deal with that the other horses didn’t need to deal with.
“He went out and worked on his own in the middle of the course proper.
“He concentrated, went about his work very professionally and I am pretty pleased with where he is up too going into Saturday’s race.”
Hugh Bowman will ride Cluster in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday, after partnering him in trackwork this morning, and Cummings indicated that the leading jockey has always had a high opinion of the three-year-old.
“He is very happy; he is very pleased with how the horse is,” Cummings said.
“He has always had great faith in the horse and that continues to be the case.
“Hopefully that gets repaid in spades on Saturday.”
Cluster is set to be included in the third acceptances for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), which will be released by Racing Victoria this afternoon, and Cummings confirmed the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship was one possible option for the talented galloper if he performs well in the Caulfield Guineas this weekend.
“I will get Saturday out of the way first and that will tell us more about the horse and exactly what he should be doing,” Cummings said.
“The range of options includes Coolmore, Cox Plate or Patinack.”
