Entirely Platinum overdue for G1 win in Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes

Six year old Entirely Platinum is overdue for a Group 1 win and jockey Dwayne Dunn says he gets his chance in the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Entirely Platinum, orange colours, was beaten a head by Dissident, above, in the 2015 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Entirely Platinum, orange colours, was beaten a head by Dissident, above, in the 2015 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Entirely Platinum has been placed on three occasions at Group 1 level, including a second to Dissident in last year’s C.F. Orr Stakes and Dunn says he deserves a win at the highest grade.

“He deserves a Group One race,” Dunn told AAP.

“He’s been a warhorse. He always puts his hand up and unfortunately always seems to find one better than him in the Group One races.”

“It’s not an easy race but hopefully he can be up in the right spot and can break that Group One hoodoo.”

The Team Hawkes trained gelding was beaten a lip by C.F. Orr Stakes rival Boban in the Group 1 $400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival and followed that up with a third behind Fawkner and Rising Romance, also going around on Saturday, in the Group 1 $400,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

“He hasn’t done that by a fluke,” Dunn said.

“He’s met the best and acquitted himself well. He looks better than last year and is trialling up as good if not better, but he’ll have to be given the quality of this race is awesome.”

Entirely Platinum will be having his first run back since running seventh to Criterion in the Group 1 $400,000 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 10 and will jump from barrier nine in the capacity eighteen horse field.

Even though Entirely Platinum has been racing well at Group 1 level, he hasn’t visited the winner’s stall since winning an Open Handicap over 1400m at Rosehill in August 2014 with his best win being the 2014 Group 3 $150,000 McGrath Estate Agents Sky High Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill.

Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said that Entirely Platinum was unlucky not to have won the Makybe Diva Stakes but admits that the high quality C.F. Orr Stakes will be a hard race to win.

“Entirely Platinum was unlucky not to have won the Makybe Diva in the Spring,” Hawkes told RSN’s Racing Ahead.

“There are thirteen Group 1 winners in this race.”

“It is a proper horse’s race and there will be some bragging rights straight after that race that’s for sure.”

Even though Entirely Platinum has been seen setting the pace in many of his races, Hawkes said the he didn’t have to lead if there was a chance he could slot in just off the pace, but will leave the tactics up to Dunn.

“He doesn’t have to lead. I know he is pencilled in as a leader, but to be running fourth, fifth, sixth is ideally where we want him to be. But quite often there is no pace and things like that,” Hawkes said.

“There won’t be any instructions. How he jumps is how you ride him.

“There will be three or four hard luck stories and a few tears, but that is this time of the year with the Group 1 races.”

Entirely Platinum is currently an $18 chance for the C.F. Orr Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au and Hawkes will also saddle up $26 hope Messene.

C.F. Orr Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Lucky Hussler, $4.80 Turn Me Loose, $8.50 Boban, $10 Bow Creek, $15 Fawkner, Suavito, $17 Rebel Dane, Hucklebuck, Trust In A Gust, $18 Stratum Star, Entirely Platinum, $21 Fenway, Mourinho, $26 Messene, $34 Happy Trails, Rising Romance, $81 Awesome Rock, $101 Red Bomber.

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.