Spreyton trainer Adam Trinder may have added another string to his Devonport Cup bow when At The Weekend won first-up at Elwick on Sunday.Trinder has already earmarked his home-town feature race for former Sydney stayer Big Time and At The Weekend appears headed in the same direction. The four-year-old showed great staying potential last season when, on a limited preparation, she was only narrowly beaten in the 1000 Guineas, Strutt Stakes and Tasmanian Oaks. And, she did her reputation no harm when she finished strongly to score over 1400 metres in Sunday’s Benchmark 62 Handicap at her first start for seven months.
‘‘There was a lot of merit in that win because nothing carted her into the race and she had to do it all herself,’’ Trinder said.
‘‘She’ll have another run over 1600m then we’ll put her away in readiness for the cups.’’
At The Weekend, ridden by Daniel Ganderton, scored by a short neck from Finalaregee with Deux Foix just over a length away in third place. The winner started $3.20 favourite, after opening at $2.80, and the runner-up was well backed at long odds ($34 into $26). It was a good day for the “weekends’’ as the Brendan McShane-trained Weekend winner scored a runaway win in the Class 1 Handicap over 2100 metres. The four-year-old mare had been finishing strongly in all her previous races over shorter distances and relished the longer trip to give leading apprentice Bulent Muhcu another victory.
After opening at $1.80, Weekend Winner drifted to start at the relatively generous odds of $2.70.
— from Greg Mansfield (Examiner)