Dark Destroyer will be back in action in Queensland on Saturday and is expected to appreciate a step up in distance in the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m).
The Proisir four-year-old is open to improvement over ground following an unplaced first-up effort at Doomben and then finished in behind the major players in the Listed The Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm last weekend.
“He’s going to back up in the Cup and he should run well again from a good gate of seven,” said Andrew Scott, who trains in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan.
“He’s got 58kg on his back and Michael Cahill will ride him so we’re hoping he can take it up to another level.”
Dark Destroyer ran sixth in The Wayne Wilson and feedback from jockey Michael McNab has encouraged connections to target the Ipswich feature.
“Michael got off and said he’s looking for ground. We think his condition is improving with the warmer weather and he’s going well,” O’Sullivan said.
“He lacked a little bit of luck turning in the other day and they didn’t go that hard, but he stuck on well behind the placegetters.”
Dragon Leap finished fifth in The Wayne Wilson to bring an end to his Queensland campaign.
“He won’t run again at the carnival, we’re going to bring him home,” Scott said.
Dragon Leap had finished runner-up in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1200m) at Doomben at his previous appearance to fuel expectations at Eagle Farm.
“He didn’t run quite as well as we had hoped last Saturday. Maybe he doesn’t quite run out a strong mile at weight-for-age,” Scott said.
“We’ll recharge his batteries and concentrate on the sprints in New Zealand after that.”
Stablemate Cours Vite has excelled in the warmer climes with a maiden victory at Ipswich over 1666m and over 1800m last time out at the Sunshine Coast where the son of Almanzor will return to on Sunday.
“He’ll run over the same course, distance and class and Jake (Bayliss) has got to know him,” Scott said.
“He’s been great over there and he needs good ground and we obviously ran out of that here so we took a chance.
“He’s thrived in the environment and has got confidence and continued to improve. He’s a promising stayer and doing a really good job.”
On the home front, the stable will have two leading chances at the Wellington meeting at Awapuni on Saturday.
Highlighter will run in the Lincoln Farms Handicap (1200m) with the Shamexpress mare posting consecutive runner-up finishes at Matamata and Trentham from her last two appearances.
“She’s in very good form and probably put in one of her best pieces of work here on Tuesday morning so she’s trained on well,” Scott said.
Atlante five-year-old Te Atatu Memphis was a close second at Avondale at his most recent appearance and will attempt to go one better.
“His last run was very good, he’s honest and enjoys soft ground and we’re sure he will run well again,” Scott said.
Te Rapa contender Canny Man is also given a solid chance.
“He’s been racing well and will be back at his happy hunting ground where he’s won twice before. He’s pretty close and will run well,” Scott said.
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