It’s looming as another Heavy track in Sydney on Saturday for day two of The Championships and while some trainers are lamenting the expected conditions, Rob Blacker is unfazed.
In what’s a competitive Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) field, the Mornington-based horseman knows a strenuous two miles on a Heavy surface suits Zed six-year-old Tigertiger.
“He’s been trained specifically for two miles, he’ll run the trip, the only thing that will maybe find us out would be class,” Blacker told Racing.com.
“A couple of them might be too sharp for us, a bit more dynamic, our chance is if we get a really gruelling two miles.
“The track is no problem, that’s why we’re going. He will genuinely run the two miles on wet ground.
“If we get a real genuinely run two miles, the tougher it is, the better it suits us.
“It’s a $2 million race and we’re going there with genuine hope.”
Blacker has been pleasantly surprised by the Kiwi import’s sudden progression.
“We got him over here thinking 2400m mid-weekers, and he just kept improving,” Blacker said.
Blacker is confident Tigertiger is ready for the step-up in class after an impressive showing in March’s Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville, where he finished second.
“This is the logical progression off that. It’s a stronger race but he’ll get every chance,” Blacker said.
Tigertiger was trained in New Zealand by his breeder-owner Ian Shaw, for whom he placed once in his 11 starts in his homeland.
