Penthouse Pet To Step Up For Cup
19 July, 2018
Thoroughbred
Veteran trainer Fiona Scott admits she is pessimistic about the hopes of Penthouse Pet going into Saturday’s XXXX Gold-Derby Cup (1800m), as the mare looks to make it back to back wins in the early part of her campaign.
Penthouse Pet stormed into calculations for the Derby Cup with an impressive win over 1435m at her most recent outing in Broome, where she beat last year’s Broome Cup winner Gloryland.
However, the six-year-old’s record over staying distances has seen Scott take a cautious approach to this weekend’s feature event in the state’s north.
In five starts at 1800m or more, Penthouse Pet has managed only one second placing.
Scott said she was hopeful the last start win would have the mare in good shape for this week’s assignment.
“It was a good win at 1435m, which is a shorter trip for her,” she said.
“She’s not proven at 1800, but we are very happy with her.”
During last year’s Broome season Penthouse Pet had one start at 1800m, and was beaten 10 lengths behind Ballidu Bomber, who she again faces this Saturday.
However, Scott said she felt the mare’s training this campaign would give her a better chance of seeing out the trip.
“She is a fresh horse this year,” she said.
“She wasn’t as fresh last year, and we were trying to keep her fresh all campaign.
“She is more genuine this time as well, being a fresh horse we can put more work into her.
“I couldn’t be happier with her, and she has trained on well since her last start.”
This year’s Derby Cup attracted six runners, but the scratching of 2014 WA Derby winner Respondent means there will be just five runners facing the starter on Saturday.
Scott’s most recent attempt to win the Derby Cup was in 2014 with First Lot, who finished third to that year’s Broome Cup winner Central Park.
Scott said she would aim the mare towards feature staying events in Broome over the next month, if she was to win the Derby Cup.
“We do have it in mind, maybe not the Broome Cup, but the 1800m race (Cable Beach Cup) we could go to,” she said.
“She is an easy mare to train though, so if we don’t go to the 1800m, we can drop her back to 1600m or even to a 1300m race.”
Scott’s other two runners on Saturday’s Derby Cup meeting are Medom in the Spinifex Hotel Handicap (1400m) and Ocean Digger in the KAS Helicopters Handicap (1150m).
“Medom probably gets a chance to finish close to them,” Scott said.
“Ocean Digger might be at his right mark, I feel he will run well.”
The Derby Cup program gets underway at 1.05pm on Saturday, with the Derby Cup to get underway at 3.45pm.
Tim Walker