THE CLEANER’S trainer Mick Burles has resisted the lure of a possible $1 million bonus to run his stable star up in the Cranbourne Cup before tackling the $3 million William Hill W. S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley next month.
The Cranbourne Turf Club, in partnership with its major sponsor Tabcorp, is offering $1 million to the connections of any horse that can win the Cranbourne Cup and Cox Plate in the same season.
But Burles is adamant The Cleaner will not leave Tasmania until he gets aboard he Spirit of Tasmania two days before the Cox Plate.
“The $1 million bonus looked attractive but realistically to run him in that race on October 11 and back him up 13 days later in the Cox Plate just didn’t make sense,” Burles said.
“We thought about the Cranbourne Cup before we accepted for the Underwood Stakes but after his terrific effort to run third in that race last Saturday we are quite content to keep him here in Tasmania right up until the Cox Plate,” he said.