Trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley are hoping third time’s a charm with Tru Planet (NZ) (Dalghar) when she heads to Cambridge on Wednesday.
The daughter of Dalghar has had two starts on the synthetic surface for two runner-up efforts and the father-and-daughter duo are confident she can shed her bridesmaid tag in the ITM/GIB Winter Championship 1300.
“She has worked well and she is well within herself,” Darryn Weatherley said.
“It is a better draw (7) than what she has been getting. In her last couple of runs she has drawn the outside and two weeks ago we scratched because of that reason.
“With the better draw, hopefully she gets a nice run in transit somewhere. She will definitely be competitive.”
While Tru Planet has had just the two raceday starts at Cambridge, she has won three trials on the synthetic surface and Weatherley believes she can mirror that form on Wednesday.
“She does like the synthetic,” he said. “Some horses like it and others don’t. She is one that seems to gallop well on it, hence the reason we are going back.”
While confident of his filly’s chances, Weatherley is wary of a number of her opposition.
“There are a couple of horses in there I do have respect for, like Chris Wood’s horse (Radradra),” he said.
“He has run second in his last couple of starts and had a good run last start, so he is going to be hard to beat.
“The one that Michael McNab is riding (Timing) is also a good chance.
“But she (Tru Planet) will be putting her right foot forward and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if she won.”
