After near-misses in recent years, Michael Hickmott is optimistic he can finally land his hometown Murray Bridge Gold Cup with a two-pronged attack on Friday.
Hickmott will saddle up Group Three winner Lord Vladivostok (NZ) (Tavistock) and in-form mare Unlaced (NZ) (Niagara) in the feature event, having featured in the minor money with Lord Vladivostok (third in 2021) and Aqueduct (NZ) (Dundeel) (second in 2020) in the past two years.
Lord Vladivostok, who will be ridden by Todd Pannell, is rated the $4.20 favourite with Sportsbet and his trainer can’t fault his recent trackwork.
The gelding spent an extended period on the sidelines after suffering an injury last spring and hinted he was close to recapturing his better form with an eye-catching run at Morphettville last start.
“I’m pretty happy with both of them to be honest,” Hickmott said.
“Lord Vladivostok is coming in off having a fractured pelvis, so he didn’t have an autumn preparation like he did last year.
“So he’s definitely one run behind what he was this time last year, but I can’t fault the way he’s going and he’s improved out of his last run.
“He’s right in the race but he’s probably still one run away from peaking, which he hopefully does at Flemington over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.”
Unlaced won at Morphettville last month before running fourth in the Listed Balaklava Cup behind subsequent Seymour Cup winner Noname Lane (Shamus Award).
The six-year-old, who will be partnered by Jess Eaton, had a quiet trial last week and Hickmott believes she’s held her form since Balaklava.
“She’s definitely in career-best form,” he said.
“Her run at Balaklava last start was sensational and the form out of the race has held up.
“She loves the mile, she loves Murray Bridge and she’s very fit, so she’s probably one of the better $20 chances I’ve sent to the races.”
Victory at Murray Bridge would continue a solid start to the season for the 2020/21 Adelaide Trainers’ Premiership winner, who has trained eight city winners at a 28 per cent strike-rate since the beginning of August.
