Trap Won’t Be Fooled At The Valley
14 June, 2018
Thoroughbred
Former Perth galloper Trap For Fools can’t be discounted when he makes his Melbourne debut in this Saturday’s Travis Harrison Cup (1600m) at Moonee Valley, according to new trainer Jarrod McLean.
The four-year-old was last seen in the Group 2 Perth Cup on New Year’s Day, when he finished sixth to Material Man.
Prior to that, Trap For Fools won eight of his previous nine starts, including a feature treble of the Tattersall’s Cup, Towton Cup and A.T.A Stakes.
The gelding then returned to win a 1450m barrier trial at Lark Hill, before another solid trial performance behind Danon Liberty at Werribee.
McLean said Trap For Fools was already well acclimatised to his Warrnambool surroundings, given the similarities between his own stable and Lindsey Smith’s stable.
“He’s familiar with the beach being with Lindsey, he’s had all of that before,” McLean told TABradio’s The Sports Daily.
“He had the couple of trials with Lindsey before he came over, so he has that good base of fitness.
“He’s there to be running well.”
Trap For Fools is a $16 chance with TABtouch for his first-up assignment, with the market headed up by South Australian visitor Tatoosh at $3.40, while there are four other runners in single figure odds.
The Poet’s Voice gelding will be ridden by Brad Rawiller from the outside barrier in the field of 15, however he will come into barrier 13 with two emergencies in the field.
McLean said he expected Trap For Fools to settle close to the speed, the pattern of racing that made him difficult to beat in Perth last campaign.
“He’s certainly fit enough to be going forward,” McLean said.
“From 15 with Brad on, you have a nice 400m run until you start the turn.
“You have to jump and be positive, if he’s not in the lead he won’t be far away.”
Meanwhile, Tradesman is expected to record his first Listed race win on the east coast, when he lines up in Saturday’s Ipswich Cup (2150m) in Queensland.
Tradesman is a $1.75 favourite with TABtouch for the $175,000 feature, ahead of Ecuador at $5.50.
The Trade Fair gelding produced one of his career best performances last start when second to Egg Tart in the Group 2 O’Shea Stakes on the Sunshine Coast.
However, McLean said the Ipswich Cup was not the six-year-olds main aim for the campaign, and indicated the Caloundra Cup on the Sunshine Coast on June 30 would suit Tradesman a lot better.
“It’s not a great track for him Ipswich,” he said.
“He ran as well as he could when second to Egg Tart last start.
“It’d be lovely to think he could go there and win, and then it’s two weeks into the Caloundra Cup.”
Trap For Fools runs at 2.41 on Saturday afternoon, with Tradesman to jump almost 90 minutes earlier at 1.17.
You can listen to Jarrod McLean’s full chat below.
Tim Walker