Pearcedale trainer Robbie Laing believes he has given Darabad a solid preparation that will give him a great chance of scoring a first up win in the 3200m Group 2 $400,000 Adelaide Cup at Morphettville on Monday.
Jockey Noel Callow, above, rides Darabad in the Adelaide Cup at Morphettville. Photo by Steve Hart.
Laing has stuck to a European preparation for the French Import who hasn’t started since finishing fourth over 2400m in Group 2 €130,000 QATAR Prix Niel at Chantilly on September 11 last year.
Darabad has only raced seven times for one win over 2400m in the Listed €55,000 Grand Prix De Clairefontaine at Clairefontaine in August last year and Laing thinks it would be useless to run him in shorter races in the lead up to the Adelaide Cup.
“He’s a big, powerful horse and can stay,” Laing told The Advertiser.
“He’s a good mover … but he does look very dour. That’s why I’m not running him over anything shorter.
“I’m taking a bit of a leaf out of the book of the European trainers. They come here but they don’t stuff around with short races. They work them in quarantine then they run in the race they’ve come for.
“He’s done enough work at home.
Laing believes that Darabad is a genuine stayer and is keen to qualify him for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in the Spring.
“We’re hoping he’s a genuine Cups horse. We’re thinking if he can win a two-mile race, that ticks another box on his way to trying to qualify for the Melbourne Cup,” Laing said.
Laing has given Darabad a long solid preparation and as well as giving the Dansili stallion several jump outs, he sent the four year old to Cranbourne last Monday for an unorthodox day out when he ran in two barrier trials.
Darabad wasn’t in the contest when sixth over 900m but following a two hour rest came out and won his second trial over 1550m.
“He had an easy time in the first one then he came out a couple of hours later and came from last, circumnavigated them and bolted in,” Laing said.
Laing expects Noel Callow to settle Darabbad in the first half of the field from the inside barrier and is hoping he will be able to outstay the huge Adelaide Cup field.
“He’s only been running in small fields … and he’s settled back then overpowered them,” Laing said.
“But I’d think he’ll probably settle fourth or fifth on Monday.
Darabad has had some support in early betting for the Adelaide Cup and has firmed in from $21 to $18 with Ladbrokes.com.au who have the Darren Weir trained Master Of Arts as the $4.50 favourite.
Annus Mirabilis from the Stuart Webb stable is on the second line of betting at $6 just ahead of Robert Hickmott’s Irish import Chance To Dance at $6.50.
