There’s no stayer in Australia racing better than Blazing Cartier and she gets a golden opportunity to claim an overdue feature trophy in Friday’s Grays Bendigo Stayers Cup (660m).
Master staying conditioner Robert Britton brings Blazing Cartier to Bendigo in peak form, finishing first or second in eight of her last nine starts, with the odd run out coming in the Sandown Cup, the biggest distance event of them all.
“I’ve always felt she was up to winning a good race but she’s been a bit unlucky,” said Britton.
“Take the Sandown Cup for example. I thought she was going as good as anything in the race but she got smashed. It was good to see her bounce back in a very similar field at Sandown last week.”
Blazing Cartier will be first-up at Bendigo, with Britton explaining his decision to tackle the $12,000 to-the-winner Stayers Cup was heavily influenced by a runaway victory over champion kennelmate Tornado Tears at Geelong last December.
“In the past Blazing Cartier hasn’t gone too well when going to a new track but I’m working on the theory that she went really well on a horseshoe track at Geelong,” Britton said.
Blazing Cartier has drawn box one in the Stayers Cup (race 7 to jump at 5.19pm), alongside her toughest opposition in Tauwitchere (2) and veteran Rajasthan (3), which is unbeaten in two 500m assignments at Bendigo and has won one of two starts over the 660m course.
“There is a fair bit of pace in the race, which does worry me a little bit, but she would be the strongest dog in the race,” Britton offered.
“Her best attribute is her strength; she’s a genuine 750m dog.
“I do like box one in this race, especially with the short run to the first turn.
“She is probably better drawn in the middle of the track – that’s where she likes to race – but with the short run to the corner it gives her a better chance to be running in the first three.
“I’ve got my fingers crossed she can jump well and hold a position. If she can be in touch she won’t be far away at the finish.”
WATCH: Blazing Cartier (B5) win the Gr8 Eight over the 715m at Sandown Park last week. Kennel mates Tornado Tears (B2) and Here’s Tears (B7) finished fifth and sixth.
Britton’s decision to head to Bendigo with Blazing Cartier leaves him with star brothers Here’s Tears (4) and Tornado Tears (6) in Saturday night’s GR8 Eight event over 725m at The Meadows.
“They’re probably both not going as well as they should be,” he said.
“The young dog (Here’s Tears) is flying but he’s just not putting it together in his races at the moment so hopefully he can get back on track.”
