Australia’s first black-type two-year-old race, the Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), is widely tipped to fall to the Gai Waterhouse trained Sugar Babe after she put down two outstanding trial wins in the lead-up.
Should she be able to win tomorrow as expected, she will join another of More Than Ready’s recent Gimcrack winners in Defiant Dame who won in 2010.
More Than Ready has two chances of being the Breeders’ Plate sire for 2012 beginning with More Joyous’ three-parts brother War also trained by Gai Waterhouse.
War won over fans with a solid trial win at the official heats at Warwick Farm last month and is quoted at $3 to reign in the prized 1000m event inaugurated way back in 1906.
Meanwhile, David Payne’s hopes of adding the Breeders’ Plate to his 2006 Gimcrack trophy rest with the flashy chestnut Regimental Pride.
Regimental Pride showed speed to win his 900m barrier trial at Rosehill on September 18 by 0.8-lens in a heat where Payne saddled up seven of the 10 runners.
“He is bred to be a good two-year-old,” Payne explained.
“He was the best one of mine in the trial and the most forward of my two-year-olds at this stage.
“He’s not a big horse but he’s nice and quick. He has drawn barrier 4 and that’s a good draw for him.”
Regimental Pride was purchased for $150,000 at the 2012 Magic Millions Yearling Sale in January.
Payne is planning to make a return trip to the Gold Coast in the opening weeks of 2013 for a crack at the $2.5m Magic Millions 2YO Classic – a race which his dam won brilliantly in 2003.
