Victoria’s first Million Dollar Chase winner McInerney could well be the forgotten runner in Saturday night’s $233,250 Group 1 Sportsbet Topgun (525m) at The Meadows.
Lara trainer Brendan Pursell is eyeing a Topgun double after first reserve Moraine Suzie was elevated into the G1 Topgun Stayers (730m) field following the shock scratching of $1.50 favourite Super Estrella on Thursday.
It may be a case of out of sight, out of mind with McInerney (Box 3), which at $11 in Sportsbet’s Topgun market appears to be flying under the radar.
The son of champion 2015 Topgun winner Fernando Bale and G1 winner Born Ali has won eight of his last 10 starts, with one of the defeats a one-length third in the G1 National Sprint Championship, and his last three in succession.
WATCH: MCINERNEY (B1) became Victoria’s first Million Dollar Chase winner at Wentworth Park on September 24, holding Topgun rival ZIPPING KYRGIOS (B3) at bay in a fast 29.50sec.
He broke Victoria’s Million Dollar Chase hoodoo at Wentworth Park on September 24, but hasn’t been seen in action since October 6, with Lara trainer Brendan Pursell saving his ammunition for the Dream Chasers carnival.
“I was hoping he would get into the Topgun and kept him a bit fresher, because hopefully he’ll be racing consistently over the next five weeks in a row,” he explained.
While delighted with McInerney’s “terrific” form, Pursell agrees with betting that has hometown heroine Wow She’s Fast (box 5) $3 favourite, shading perfectly drawn NSW visitor French Martini (box 1) at $3.10.
Click HERE for Sportsbet’s latest Topgun market
“I don’t think Box 3 is too bad for McInerney,” he said.
“It could have been a lot worse. There’s no pace in Box 2 with Zippy Tesla, so I’m hoping he can stay in front of ‘the four’ (Vice Grip) and get to where he wants to be.
“He might be able to drop in behind French Martini going around the first turn and run her down if he can.
“I think ‘the one’ (French Martini) and ‘the five’ (Wow She’s Fast) are drawn pretty good.
“Noel Mugavin (owner/breeder) has been speaking to a couple of Phoenix slot holders, so if he can run well, it might help him get a slot.”
“Moraine Suzie’s last trial at The Meadows was ridiculous.”
Pursell has the chance to become the first trainer to win both Topguns on the same night, since the Stayers event was introduced in 2015, after Moraine Suzie snuck into the field at the eleventh hour.
The Topgun Stayers was turned on its head with the withdrawal of hot favourite Super Estrella, which had won her past seven starts, including the G1 National Distance Championship, G2 Sydney Cup and Wentworth Park 720m track record.
After securing a late reprieve, Moraine Suzie, which is also resuming from a let-up, is $8 in what is now a wide-open affair, with fellow Victorian Mepunga Ruby $2.80 favourite.
Click HERE for Sportsbet’s latest Topgun Stayers market
“I was really hoping Moraine Suzie would get a run,” Pursell said.
“She wasn’t herself up in Sydney, even though she ran third to Super Estrella in the (G1) National Distance Championship and Sydney Cup heat.
“I’ve done the same thing with her, and she’s been trialling really well. Her last trial at The Meadows was ridiculous.”
