Can Sajid Mahmood win the Cup?

A question for Merlo -
Do you know anything about a horse called Speed Gifted?

He was originally from over your way (trained by Luca Cumani) but is now in Australia & trained by Lee Freedman. Speed Gifted resumed today at Flemington winning over 1700 metres. He looked very impressive although the opposition wasn't overly strong. He has been attractively handicapped with 51kgs in both our major Cups but would probably need to earn a penalty to be assured of a start.

Won't that win lift the weight a bit or do you need a better class of race?

Carn Saj

The race today was just an ordinary Open Handicap. However, he will probably run in the Naturaliam Stakes at Caulfield in a fortnight so a win in that would probably give him that penalty. It would also give a better indication of his ability.

He has previously won over 14 furlongs in England so shapes as a likely type.

Nay.

Bradman wrote:Won't that win lift the weight a bit or do you need a better class of race?

It wasn't a rehandicapping race. He needs to be rehandicapped somewhere along the way to guarantee getting a start

Well always the The Bart Cummings 2500m in a fortnight. That would take us back to ther bad old days of average handicappers winning the big one.

You mean like Viewed

I was talking about getting miles into it's legs. The nice thing about the Cup in the last twenty years it's had honest-to-God champions win it in certain years.

Bart reverted to type with Rogan Josh and i think an honest plodder who's beaten the handicapper will win it this year.

There's a few things that have beaten the handicapper. Specifically, Wally's Speed Gifted and Vigor. Unfortunalety they have already been found

Ah! But for the Cup?

It will be mine in 4 years

What are you running a horse dead, getting it qualified, then running it in non-penalty races?

meh, it would have won the Slipper, VRC and AJC Derbies and the Doncaster along the way.
It will be good enough to start from the carpark carrying the grandstand

I came out about even on thirtysixred. Bet on it just for the hell of it.

Though one of the first races I think you got farked on.