Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Four-year-old Chivalry is the least experienced runner in the Garrard’s BOTRA Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night and the only runner in the field of twelve who has not contested a standing-start event.
But the New Zealand-bred gelding’s trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper gives the son of Sweet Lou an excellent winning chance.
Harper, who has driven two winners of the BOTRA Cup — Ariege in 1998 and Shattering Class in 2000 — said he expected a powerful performance from Chivalry, who will start from barrier No. 5 on the front line in the 2503m standing-start.
He has raced only 22 times for ten wins and five thirds, and it will pay to overlook his last placing behind Sorridere and Whataretheodds in a heat of the John Higgins Memorial at Bunbury last Saturday week when he began from the back line, raced at the rear and was pushed wide in the final circuit.
“Chivalry has won at four of his past six starts, and I took him to Byford on Sunday to qualify for the stand,” said Harper. “He got away good in the trial, and he set the pace and ran home in 56sec. when second to Carana, one of the front-line runners in the trial field of four.
“The last mile was pretty slippery, and I knew that Chivalry needed the run, so I wasn’t disappointed when Carana got over him (and won by a metre) and I think he can win the BOTRA Cup.
“He is heading for the Golden Nugget, and if he is not one of the best four-year-olds here I’m a bad judge.”
Seven-year-old Carana, to be driven by Stuart McDonald for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, will share the back mark of 30m with his four-year-old stablemate Lusaka, who is racing in outstanding form for his driver Deni Roberts.
Lusaka has had only one run in a stand for a fourth placing. He has won at 14 of his 30 starts and is destined to win many more races. Carana has won at 12 of his 30 starts, 27 of which have been in stands for 12 wins, seven seconds and three thirds.
Trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green has Otis racing in splendid form, and the six-year-old will have many admirers. He will share the 20m line with experienced standing-start campaigners, last-year’s BOTRA Cp winner Twobob Cracker and Feeling Aces.
Lucapelo (Maddison Brown; front line) has struck top form for trainer Michael Young, and the eight-year-old mare Jill Mach (trained by Karen Young and to be driven by Trent Wheeler) is a veteran of 108 starts, including 72 in stands for eight wins, 17 seconds and eight thirds.
Chris Voak, who trained and drove Carabao for his all-the-way win over Watching Our Coin and Chal Patch in last year’s BOTRA Cup, is hoping for a similar result when he handles Rock Artist (a winner at three of his five stands) from barrier three on the front line.
Two starts ago Rock Artist led and won a 2503m stand from Franco Mecca, who will start from barrier one and will be driven by Chris Lewis, who has won the BOTRA Cup with Village Kid (1985), Elteei (1986), Mach Ruler (2009) and Tartary Gladiator (2011).
The Bonds, who have been successful in the BOTRA Cup with Fizzing in 2019 and Minstrel in 2021, will be pinning their faith in the quality runners of the field, Lusaka and Carana.