Lucciola Suited By Heavy Warrnambool Cup Track

Trainer David Feek has revealed that Lucciola will have no trouble getting through the heavy 2015 Warrnambool Cup track and he is confident that the talented mare is a genuine winning chance in an open edition of the Listed event this afternoon.

Regan Bayliss has been booked to ride Lucciola in the 2015 Warrnambool Cup this afternoon. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Regan Bayliss has been booked to ride Lucciola in the 2015 Warrnambool Cup this afternoon. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Lucciola joined the Feek stable after she was competitive at Group level in Perth under the care of Justin Warwick and she recorded her first race win on the eastern seaboard of Australia with a dominant performance in the Stony Creek Cup (2100m) on March 8 before she finished a credible third behind Tooleybuc Kid in the Pakenham Cup (2000m) on April 26.

Feek told RSN that he has been happy with the form of Lucciola since he joined his stable in January and he believes that the Verlas mare will have every possible chance to record the biggest win of her racing career to date in the 2015 Warrnambool Cup.

“I am confident that everything suits,” Feek said.

“The experts tell me that it is not a vintage renewal of the Warrnambool Cup, but from my standpoint it is a very even race and I think you can make a case for almost every runner.

“We obviously respect the field, but we are very happy with our horse, she will relish the ground and we are looking forward to it.”

Lucciola has shown a degree of tactical versatility during her racing career in Australia and she took up the running in the early stages of Pakenham Cup, while she came from just behind the leaders to win the Stony Creek Cup.

Feek said that he will not be giving rising hoop Regan Bayliss any tactics before the Warrnambool Cup, but he does not expect the six-year-old to get too far back in the early stages of the race.

“Regan has the beauty of riding her at Pakenham last start, she is a very uncomplicated mare and we will leave it to him,” Feek said.

“I would imagine she would be somewhere around midfield and obviously we will also follow the pattern of the day and I guess that is dependent on the weather to.

“We wouldn’t want to get too far back, but the main dangers will probably be coming from the back.

“She is a terrier, she will fight to the end, she won’t lie down and the trip won’t be a concern.”

Lucciola is currently available at 2015 Warrnambool Cup odds of $8 with Ladbrokes and is on the fifth line of betting behind Tall Ship ($2.80), Tooleybuc Kid ($5), Count Encosta ($5) and Tuscan Fire ($6.50).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.