The Dunstan Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m) has become renowned as a strong form reference for feature staying races every season, and trainer Chris Wood is hoping that trend continues when Canheroc contests the Listed Marton Jockey Club Marton Cup (2200m) at Hastings on Saturday.
The Dunstan has unearthed countless quality big-race performers over its 30-year history, including Group One winners Pentane and Zabeat. The race has been won in the last two seasons by Dionysus and Aquacade, who have both gone on to bigger and better things.
This season’s edition of the Dunstan was run at Pukekohe on Boxing Day, where Trust In You prevailed in a tight three-way finish. He beat Liquid Fire by a neck, with a short head back to Canheroc in third.
That form has already been given a significant boost, with Trust In You backing up to win the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day.
Canheroc’s Dunstan placing headlines a strong run of form this season for the six-year-old El Roca gelding, who has picked up a win, four placings and more than $83,000 in stakes from nine appearances so far. His only failure from seven starts over distances longer than 1600m was in last month’s Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m), where he lost his footing leaving the gates and missed the start by five lengths.
“He’s been in good form and his performance in the Dunstan was super,” Wood said.
“He’s probably not quite the same horse right-handed – I think he’s a lot better the other way around. He got on the wrong leg a couple of times during the race at Pukekohe, including in the straight. But then he got balanced up and came back at them again late in the race, so I thought it was a really good run. The form stacks up pretty well after what the winner did on New Year’s Day.
“He’s come through Boxing Day really well. He’s as bright as a button and hasn’t needed much work leading into the trip to Hastings on Saturday.”
Canheroc will be ridden by Kelly Myers and was rated a $5.50 favourite in the TAB’s Marton Cup market on Friday.
A bold performance at Hastings on Saturday could encourage Canheroc’s connections to make a late nomination for the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on January 20.
“The Wellington Cup would be a great target to work towards,” Wood said. “He’s not currently in the race, but if he happened to run well this weekend, the owners might not take much convincing to put in a late nomination. I think the two miles would be right up his alley.”