Our Lukas
Our Lukas hasn’t been in good form at all of late and this weekend’s Ipswich Cup doesn’t look like it’ll make things any easier for him.
To win the race he’ll need to smash a weight carrying record in the event and turn around a worrying drop in performance.
Our Lukas will be the 58kg top weight in the Ipswich Cup which is a Listed event over 2150m.
The biggest weight every carried to victory was by Golden Rhapsody in 1981, but even that was 56.5kg, significantly less than what Our Lukas will have to contend with on Saturday.
The reason he’s been penalised so heavily is that he’s looking for an incredible three Ipswich Cup’s in a row.
He became the first horse in history to win the event twice when he triumphed last year but conditions favoured him a lot better.
In 2010 he had 56kg aboard and before that in 2009 he had just 53kg.
It’s a historic event which has been around since 1860 making his unique double all the more special.
Trainer Robert Heathcote knows though that for him to stretch it to three from three he’ll need a mountain of luck and a training masterstroke.
Helping his cause is the experienced ride of Shane Scriven who will take over from Glen Colless.
Our Lucas’s last start was in the Listed Strawberry Road Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday but he was never in the race languishing back in 11th.
Heathcote says he knew he was gone as soon as the gates opened and if he’s slow away in Ipswich you may as well tear up your tickets.
“He missed the start and got back in the Strawberry Road and he can’t afford to do that in the Ipswich Cup,” Heathcote said.
“He was the first to win two Ipswich Cups but if he’s got any chance of making it three he’ll need to get out and get rolling and be in the first three straight after the jump.
“Whenever he misses the start he generally finishes well back. He can’t do that in an Ipswich Cup.”
He’s baffled by the big downturn in form given how well he started first up this prep.
“I can’t put my finger on it,” he said.
“When he came back from a break he ran second to Scenic Shot in the (Listed) Member’s Quality at Eagle Farm and only got beaten in the last stride.
“Then he put in three ordinary runs. I’m not sure whether the hard run against Scenic Shot may have flattened him or what but I’ve taken him to the beach to get him focused again but nothing seems to be working.”
As a result he’s looking elsewhere for his best chance on the day and thinks he’s found it with Gundy Son in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes.
“Gundy’s going really well,” Heathcote said.
“He came back from a spell and just got beaten at Doomben then came out and won the Listed race last start.
“If he wins again he might end up with the team I take to Melbourne in the spring.”
