Sydney colt Eurozone won’t take his place in the Futurity Stakes field on Saturday and will be aimed at the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1.
Moment Of Change, black cap, holds off Eurozone, black and white checked cap, to win the C.F. Orr Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
James Cummings, who trained in partnership with his grandad the legendary Bart Cummings, said that Eurozone will stick to his own age and will run against the three year olds in the Australian Guineas and the Group 1 $600,000 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick two weeks later.
“The goal with him was always aimed at him being a Group 1 miler,” James Cummings told TVN.
“The decision was made easier by the fact that we are in the unusual position of having two Group 1 Guineas a fortnight apart.
“There’s the Randwick Guineas a fortnight after the Australian Guineas and he is a winner at his only start there.”
Eurozone proved that he will be hard to beat in whatever Cummings decides to run him in this Autumn after a first up nose second to Moment Of Change in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8.
The non-appearance of Eurozone in the Group 1 $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) has left only two three year olds in the nine horse field which could further be reduced with Sizzling and Pinwheel both accepting in the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing has accepted with Polanski who has been scratched the last two Saturday’s because of a skin disorder and Gai Waterhouse will run Bull Point with both three year olds set to run in the Australian Guineas.
The Peter Moody trained Moment Of Change (barrier 6) is going for back to back Group 1 wins after his C.F. Orr Stakes victory and once again is running over his favourite course and distance after being undefeated at three attempts over 1400m at Caulfield.
Moody will also saddle up French import Lidari who will be having his first start since finishing third to Fiorente in the Group 2 $300,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 14.
Lidari has won one race for Moody from five starts since arriving from Europe when he scored over 1400m in a Caulfield Open Handicap in August.
Trainer Chris Waller has engaged Craig Newitt to ride Sizzling (barrier 2) in the Futurity Stakes while Hugh Bowman has been booked for the Apollo Stakes mount where he has drawn six in a field of ten.
While Peter Snowden has no early jockey engaged for Pinwheel (barrier 4) in the Futurity Stakes with Christian Reith paid up in the Apollo Stakes.
Mornington trainer Wez Hunter is hoping Smokin’ Joey can find his Melbourne Spring form that saw him go down narrowly when second to Boban in the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 10.
Smokin’ Joey will jump from the inside gate with Jason Benbow to ride at his first run back since finishing at the tail of the field in the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught – Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in Perth on November 23.
