Talented sprinter Knoydart impressed assistant trainer Darren Beadman with an impressive piece of trackwork at Doomben this morning ahead of the 2015 BTC Cup at the same venue on Saturday.
Knoydart has the chance to record his first win in the Godolphin Blue when he contests the 2015 BTC Cup at Doomben this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Knoydart worked on the outside of the course proper at Doomben and worked home in an impressive manner that had Beadman brimming in praise for the More Than Ready gelding.
The five-year-old has not recorded a race win since he took out the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington in impressive fashion last year and he has been unable to replicate the form that he produced when third behind Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) last year, but he has performed well without winning in three race starts this preparation.
Knoydart returned to the races with a more than credible fourth behind Miracles Of Life in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 7 and he hit the line fairly when sixth in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
The Group 1 placegetter was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at the Gold Coast on April 25 and he never looked like a winning chance, but was still able to find the line strongly.
Beadman told Sky Racing HQ that he believes Knoydart has taken plenty of benefit out of the Victory Stakes and he revealed that he could not be happier with the five-year-old head into the 2015 BTC Cup this weekend.
“On that day horses weren’t really making up a lot of ground and from the position he was in he did a good job to close off and finish like he did over the concluding stages,” Beadman said.
“He has been on the cusp of winning a decent races and he hasn’t been getting beaten far in the better races.
“That run really tightened him up and he worked well this morning.
“If it is still in the soft range, he has good wet form which is an advantage, but looking at him this morning I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Knoydart is currently available at 2015 BTC Cup odds of $15 with Ladbrokes and is on the ninth line of betting behind Our Boy Malachi ($4.20), Srikandi ($5.50), Trust In A Gust ($6.50), Bring Me The Maid ($11), El Roca ($11), Scissor Kick ($11), Craftiness ($12) and Sacred Star ($13).
