Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) will always hold a special place in the heart of Dom Sutton as the galloper who has launched his training career.
Feroce has already supplied the Ballarat-based horseman with his first winner and his maiden city victory, while in Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas he will also become his first Group 1 runner.
Sutton is certainly aware of the magnitude of the achievement of having a Caulfield Guineas runner with Feroce in the first year of his career.
“If someone said to me when I first took my licence out that I would have a Group 1 runner in the first seven months of training, you’d laugh at them,” Sutton said.
“I’m very fortunate enough to have a horse to warrant taking to a Group 1 race like that.”
To put the effort in context, the other stables with runners in the race include some of the biggest names in Australian training.
Chris Waller, James Cummings, Gai Waterhouse, Anthony and Sam Freedman, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, the Hayes brothers Ben, Will and JD, Clinton McDonald, Tony and Calvin McEvoy and Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are his rival trainers.
Sutton will be saddling up his 56th runner, while in comparison, Waterhouse has trained 145 G1 winners and Waller 125.
Feroce is the horse who has been Sutton’s trailblazer and he said he saw enough in the galloper’s last-start fourth placing in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude to progress to the Guineas, despite his forgettable effort when first-up at his previous start in the McNeil Stakes as he was held up for the entire straight.
“I thought he was very good in the Guineas Prelude. He didn’t have much of a run first-up, so he was pretty much first-up in the Prelude,” Sutton said.
“I thought he was good; he was just a little bit out-sprinted at the top of the straight against some horses suited to 1400m. I think stepping up to 1600m will really suit him.”Sutton is happy with Feroce having drawn barrier two as he is hoping the Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s pair Wanaruah and Mayfair will push forward.
“From barrier two Billy Egan can jump and then assess. Hopefully we get cover and a nice soft run,” he said.
Sutton said obviously Broadsiding is the horse to beat.
“He’s still on the way up and on ratings figures he’s a few steps ahead of the rest,” he said ahead of the race, in which Sportsbet has Feroce assessed as a $61 chance.
“I think it’s an even bunch apart from Broadsiding. He’ll be suited to 1600 metres, as I think he will get out to 2000 metres at some point,” Sutton said.
