Imported stayer Renew is set to have his lead-up to a Sydney Cup start in Saturday’s $350,000 Mornington Cup.
Victorian trainer Archie Alexander prepares the UK import for OTI Racing and is confident the five-year-old is a big show in the $1.6 million Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 11 after coming through his last start third in the Adelaide Cup with no problems.
The Ballarat-based trainer has been Renew since he returned to his Ballarat base from South Australia where he proved himself over 3200m.
With over a month separating the Adelaide and Sydney Cups, Alexander was conscious he had to fit another race into Renew’s program and has preferred to keep him in Victoria for the Mornington Cup (2400m) as the preferred lead-up to a Sydney race.
Alexander is convinced Renew, winner of the Sandown Cup last November, is an out and out stayer who will relish the 3200m of the Sydney Cup at Randwick.
“He looks a million dollars just like he did going into the Adelaide Cup, and I'm excited about his future.” Alexander said
Renew is currently 25th on the order of entry for the Sydney Cup.
Five OTI-owned horses remain in the Sydney Cup with Alexander also represented by Martinvast and Only A Pleasure who are both below Renew on the order of entry.
Martinvast is also entered for the Mornington Cup.
Peter Moody has his OTI-owned Sydney Cup entry Au Revoir nominated for the $1.5 million BMW at Rosehill on Saturday.
He will decide on Wednesday morning of the stayer needs the run on Saturday following his luckless run in the Australian Cup at Flemington on March 14.
Au Revoir is safely in the Sydney Cup field at eighth on the order of entry.
The other OTI entry is the Chilean mare Sabor A Triunfo, trained in Sydney by Peter and Paul Snowden.
Sabor A Triunfo faild second up at Rosehill last Saturday but may back-up in the Neville Sellwood Stakes at Rosehill this weekend.
Moody has scratched the OTI-trained Lidari from Friday’s $170,000 Albury Gold Cup after he headed the final field as the topweight when it ws declared on Tuesday.
