Box 8 is Kel Greenough’s major concern with fancied duo Levitation and youngster Try Catch Up ahead of Premier Racing at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Levitation, winner of 10 from 27 and a finalist behind superstar kennelmate Wow She’s Fast in the Group 1 Sapphire Crown in May, resumes over 600m in Race 5 at 8pm, where Sportsbet has marked her $2.45 favourite.
It’s the well-bred daughter of Fernando Bale and Elevated’s first appearance since August 20, but eyeing a possible staying career, Greenough says fitness won’t be the issue.
The outside alley, however, is another matter.
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“She trialled over 595m at Sandown last week and her trial was good,” he said.
“It’s not an ideal draw in eight over the 600m. We just have to hope she can get across and she does have a bit of speed, so she is a chance to get over.
“She normally does come out and show a bit in the first 50m, so hopefully she can clear them, but I’m certainly not confident.
“She’s a nice bitch, she’s run 29.06sec at Sandown, and I was thinking she might have been a chance of being a stayer.
“I gave her a few 600s and while she wasn’t stopping, she became a bit one-paced. If she does go to ‘700’, she’d be a front-running stayer and would be a chance of winning a Group race.”
“He did everything wrong first-up and still won convincingly.”
Try Catch Up, a superbly bred son of Fernando Bale and Often Imitated, a dual G2 winner of the Cranbourne Cup and McKenna Memorial, also trained by Greenough and wife Jackie, heads straight to town after a runaway debut victory at Warragul.
Also drawn in ‘the pink’, Try Catch Up is a $5 chance to make it two from two in Race 2 at 6.59pm.
“He did everything wrong first-up and still won convincingly,” Greenough said.
WATCH: Beautifully bred first starter TRY CATCH UP (2) made an impressive debut at Warragul on September 27, giving his rivals a start and a comprehensive beating in 26.01sec.
“Again, Box 8 is probably not ideal and the dog in Box 6 (Vaucluse Bale) looks to have some speed and runs wide, so he’ll need to miss it.
“He has shown good ability and I think he has a future if he can keep beginning. His box habits have been up and down, but he has a really good back split, and he runs home well.”
In a massive boost to the fast-approaching Dream Chasers series, Greenough reported Wow She’s Fast has been given a clear bill of health after her torrid run in the G1 Adelaide Cup Final last Friday.
It’s now all systems go to the G1 Sportsbet Topgun at The Meadows on Saturday, November 5, where Wow She’s Fast is ‘All In’ $2.80 favourite.
“I had an x-ray done on her left hind leg, just in case, but she’s good,” Greenough said.
“I would’ve probably galloped her today (Thursday) or tomorrow, but with all the rain I haven’t. At this stage, her next run will be in the Topgun.”
Unfortunately, the news isn’t as good for regally bred sprinter Aston Exceed, a Fernando Bale x Aston Miley half-brother to Aston Rupee, after he injured a hock in last Sunday’s G2 Bendigo Cup heats.
“He took a piece of bone off his hock and is in for surgery on Friday,” Greenough explained.
“He’d won eight from 11 and I was looking forward to stepping him up, but he’s only 50/50 to race again.”
