HomeMississippi Delta’s Test In Seacorp-Hyperion Stakes
Mississippi Delta’s Test In Seacorp-Hyperion Stakes
June 12, 2020
Thoroughbred, Uncategorised
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Thoroughbred, Uncategorised
It won’t surprise leading owner Bob Peters if Seacorp-Hyperion Stakes (1600m) favourite Mississippi Delta doesn’t land first prize in the $160,000 Group 3 feature at Belmont on Saturday.
Mississippi Delta went into the Belmont Sprint (1400m) first-up since winning the Perth Cup in January and produced a terrific run, a slashing seventh behind stable mate Perfect Jewel.
Mississippi Delta is prepared by Grant and Alana Williams and from barrier three will be ridden by champion jockey, William Pike. She is the $3.60 TABtouch favourite.
Peters said Mississippi Delta had come through last month’s Belmont Sprint in good order and the extra distance of the Hyperion Stakes will suit, but believes she could be vulnerable on a rain affected track.
“It’s going to be interesting to see her run on a wet track,” Peters told Tabradio.
“Her best attribute is sprinting home over the top of them.
“It’s a bit hard to do that on a wet track.
“She has drawn a good barrier and will get a good run in the race, but her style of racing is to sit back and have one last crack at them.
“She is very good at that, but this will be a whole new ball game for her.”
Perfect Jewel, Peters’ second stringer in the Hyperion Stakes, caused a big surprise to get up in the last bound to defeat The Velvet King by a nose in the Belmont Sprint.
The Redoute’s Choice mare has drawn the widest gate in the field of 13. Pat Carbery retains the ride. She is a $9.50 chance.
“The barrier has made it a bit difficult,” Peters said.
“But there is not a lot between them.
“If she had drawn a good barrier we would have been in with a good chance.”
Meanwhile earlier on the Belmont card Peters is confident Windstorm can bounce back as the raging favourite in the Crown Perth Handicap (1300m).
The gun three-year-old was the buzz of Australian racing after his stunning second win last October and all eyes were on his return two weeks ago.
The son of Redoute’s Choice ran on hard from the tail of the field and clocked 33.43sec. for the last 600m, but couldn’t nab front-runner Indian Pacific and suffered his first defeat.
Peters says Windstorm is banking race experience with each start.
“He is good and there are no excuses,” Peters said.
“He is still learning as you can see from his last run.
“Missing the start in a slowly run race over the first half didn’t help him.
“But he came home well and handles the wet track.
“Hopefully he learns something from that last run.”
Windstorm is $1.40 market leader.
Picture Perfect is chasing back-to-back wins in the Vale Bonnie Purton Handicap (2000m).
Peters considers the Reset gelding a promising staying talent.
“Hopefully he is a stayer in the future for us,” Peters said.
“We’ve taken our time with him and he gets over the ground well