Perth Cup Looms For Em Tee Aye
Trainer Trevor Andrews has lodged a Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m) entry for Em Tee Aye.
Entries for the $400,000 feature event were announced yesterday (Monday) and the iconic race, which will be run at Ascot on January 2, attracted 40 nominations.
Em Tee Aye, a son of in form sire I’m All The Talk, has raced competitively this campaign, recording back to back wins in October before coming perilously close to scoring a blow out win in the WA Guineas (1600m) two weeks ago.
Sent out at double figure odds, the three-year-old was in front for the majority of the Group 2 race and it only took the efforts of gun filly Watch Me Dance to fight hard and chase him down inside the final 50 metres that denied him an upset victory.
Andrews believes the Perth Cup is a better option for Em Tee Aye, rather than this weeks Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
“They would have been too sharp for him in the Kingston Town,” Andrews told The Races WA.
“There is no point going around just for the sake of it.
“He will run in a 72+ 1800m race and then we can reassess.
“He is going well and doesn’t know how to lay down in his races.
“He is fit and aerobically very dour.
“The Perth Cup looks a nice option for him if he can stay.”
Em Tee Aye can replicate Field Officer who won the Perth Cup as a three-year-old in 1993.
Meanwhile Arctic Stream’s Perth Cup campaign will include the Peoplestart-Kingston Town Classic on the weekend.
Trained by Ross Price, the six-year-old is on the quick turnaround after last Saturday’s Tattersall’s Cup (2100m).
The dual Listed winner worked to the line strongly for third behind Royal Command, beaten two lengths in his best performance this campaign.
“This will give him two weeks into the Ted Van Heemst and then the Perth Cup,” Price said.
“If I went next week it was a week into the Ted Van Heemst.
“This way is an ideal lead into the Perth Cup.
“He’s a horse that can back up.
“Last year he had three straight weeks into the Perth Cup
“I’m pleased with the horse and think the Tatts Cup has hardened him up.
“He was probably a bit gross, but is where I want him to be now.”
Jarrad Noske will ride Arctic Stream in the Kingston Town Classic.
Julio Santarelli