LONGFORD trainer Bill Ryan remains adamant that his handy middle distance performer Genuine Lad can emerge triumphant in today’s $100,000 Simons Design Centre Devonport Cup to be run over 1880 metres on the Tapeta synthetic at Spreyton.
Genuine Lad was placed third in the two lead-up races to the Devonport Cup but they were merely warm-ups for his main goal, according to Ryan.
“I am very confident this horse will win the Devonport Cup,” Ryan said.
“He goes into the race at peak fitness and in a great frame of mind and he’s drawn a good barrier, plus he is a winner over the Cup trip .”
“Brendon McCoull would normally have ridden the horse but he couldn’t make the weight but we have secured Anthony Darmanin and he is a great rider and a natural lightweight,” he said.
While Ryan is supremely confident the trainer of smart four-year-old mare At The Weekend Adam Trinder also is upbeat about the chances of winning the Cup.
“My mare is in great form and unbeaten from her three starts this preparation but she is stepping up to 1880 metres maybe a bit quicker than I would have preferred but it all came down to finding suitable races for her and this fitted the best,” Trinder said.
The Producer won his way into this race last year on the back of a Longford Cup win and while he failed last year his trainer John Blacker expects the gelding to be very competitive this time around.
“The Producer is fit and in a good mind space so all we need now is for it to be a truly run race and we’re a chance,” Blacker said.
Last year’s winner Red Eagle is not in best form but he knows how to win the race and must be rated a chance along with the top weight Jakcorijim from the Glenn Stevenson stable.
Tasmanian Derby winner from two seasons ago Ollie’s Gold won his first race since wining the Derby with a game effort in Hobart two starts back and he was an eye-catching run in the Sheffield Cup at Spreyton on Boxing Day so he cannot be discounted.
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