Trainer Gai Waterhouse is confident that 2014 Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer will be most impressive when he returns to the races in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Offer will start his Melbourne Cup campaign in the Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
The Offer has never recorded a win in a race shorter than 2200 metres and he will be taking on a strong weight-for-age field in the Group 2 event, but Waterhouse told TVN that she believes The Offer can be a factor in the finish of the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
“He’s going to win the race, that’s what he’s out to do,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s going to be terribly competitive.
His main trip is 2400 metres plus, but he’ll very competitive.
“You only had to see him this morning.”
The Offer will be making his Moonee Valley debut in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes this weekend, but he got a taste of the tight-turning circuit when he worked alongside stablemate Hippopus this morning.
The Montjeu gelding ran his final 400 metres in 26.96 seconds and impressed Waterhouse as well as jockey Damien Oliver with the strong piece of work.
“He really did work nicely, it was just a stretch and extend exercise,” Waterhouse said.
“Damien said it was an interesting piece of work as he’s very laid back, he knows exactly where the winning post is.
“He put his ears back and he attacks the line.
“He (Oliver) said at the top of the straight Hippopus had the edge on me, but he knew where the winning post was and he wanted to get past the other horse.
“He’s a real racehorse down to his tippy-toes and Damien was very impressed with him.”
The Offer will be chasing his fourth straight win when he contests the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes after finishing his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival with dominant victories in the Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29, the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at Royal Randwick on April 12 and the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at the same venue on a week later.
The 2014 Melbourne Cup nominations will be released this afternoon and The Offer will be one of several Waterhouse-trained stayers included in the entries for ‘the race that stops a nation’ as she chases her second straight win in the Group 1 event.
