Lord Of The Sky primed to win first-up in Christmas Cup

Smart sprinter Lord Of The Sky is primed for a first up win in the Listed $120,000 Emma Booth Christmas Cup (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday.

Lord Of The Sky is in prime condition for his return in the Christmas Cup at Sandown. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Lord Of The Sky is in prime condition for his return in the Christmas Cup at Sandown. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing has Lord Of The Sky flying on the tracks and would be disappointed if the speed machine doesn’t win on the weekend.

“The way he’s going, and he’s a terrific horse fresh, I’d be disappointed if he got beat,” Laing told AAP.

“What I did was pit him against Boomwaa early last Saturday morning and gave them a hard hit-out to simulate a trial and they worked brilliantly together.

“He then went to Sandown and went two or three seconds quicker than I expected on Tuesday but pulled up really good after it.”

Laing is confident that Lord Of The Sky will regain the blistering form that saw him put two wins together last campaign.

The Danerick stallion showed a good turn of foot to win over 1000m at Caulfield in May before leading all of the way to win the Group 3 $135,000 Polytrack Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 5.

But two unplaced runs as an odds on favourite in the Group 3 $150,000 Slickpix Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and the $80,000 United Refrigeration Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on August 2 saw Laing send the four year old to the paddock to recuperate from a suspected virus.

Lord Of The Sky was very sluggish following his latest run but Laing said that he has fully recovered from the virus and looks in magnificent order.

“He’s got a beautiful skin on him and I hope it’s not too hot on Saturday so that he breaks out in a sweat as you won’t get to see how good he looks,” Laing said.

Senior rider Vlad Duric will be having his first ride on Lord Of The Sky who will jump from gate five in the nine horse field.

Laing will also saddle up eight year old Mr Make Believe who has been unplaced at two runs from a spell, with Craig Williams to ride from barrier seven.

Former headline two year old Boomwaa is also resuming for Laing in the $80,000 Dunlite Handicap (1000m) for the three year olds with apprentice Patrick Maloney from barrier two.

The Mutawaajid gelding was sent to the spelling paddock after beating only two runners home when tenth in the Group 3 $150,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 30.

“So I gave him two months out and he now looks like he did when he was flying as a two-year-old,” Laing said.

Laing is hoping  that Boomwaa can regain the form that saw him produce a sizzling win as a two year old in the Group 3 $150,000 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington during the 2013 Melbourne Spring Carnival.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.