Anne King will take a two-pronged attack into Saturday’s XXXX Gold Roebourne Cup (2200m) but it’s Indamani who will command majority support in the $40,000 staying feature.
Indamani has been in near faultless form with three wins and two placings from five starts this preparation and at his previous outing in Roebourne last fortnight he proved far too strong for rivals when saluting by 1 ½ lengths.
The four-year-old has yet to race the cup distance but had no trouble negotiating 2000m at Bunbury on New Year’s Day when he defeated Scrapindipity and Emaho at his first attempt at the journey.
Stable mate Henry Joseph won this race last year and holds a good record at the trip, but will need to improve after finishing near last and 12 lengths from Indamani over 1800m on July 14.
An encouraging third behind Indamani was former Perth galloper Great Wall Of China who looked comfortable when racing on the dirt for the first time.
The Giant’s Causeway entire, now in the care of Peter Dellar, will attract admirers, but has yet to win in 29 starts since arriving from the east almost three years ago.
Dellar’s second entrant Bolitar will need to lift on recent efforts but the Encosta De Lago gelding has won twice over the staying journey.
Catchphrase won the Yalgoo Cup (1850m)-Mt Magnet Cup (1800m) double earlier in April and looms as a genuine chance if he can reproduce his run from two starts back when 1 ½ lengths second to Indamani at Roebourne.
Racso, a recent winner of the Marble Bar Cup (1600m), is always around the mark but might be a risk at the journey
My Richard from the Dixie Solly camp has displayed good form over the shorter distances and in easier company but this looks a tough assignment for the Lion Heart gelding.
Stormish is on the seven day turnaround after a 2 ¼ length third to Junior Soprano over 2050m, each way claims on that run and Supernova hasn’t been close in recent runs at Marble Bar and Port Hedland and looks safely held.