PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY Championships winner Territory Express will be given every chance to earn a start in the Cox Plate.
Trainer Paul Niceforo intends to head south with the now five-year-old in a few weeks and prepare him in Victoria.
The $5m Cox Plate (2040m), Australasia’s weight-for-age championship, will be run at The Valley on October 26.
Niceforo’s partner and Territory Express’ managing part-owner Maryanne Cram says the gelding enjoyed the Brisbane winter sunshine and returned home last Friday.
Territory Express was spelled after two Brisbane starts; the latest when an excellent third to Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner Just Folk in the Group 3 Lord Mayors Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm on June 1.
He drew awkwardly, and finished strongly from 10th at the 400m.
“Territory Express had a really good six weeks’ break and then had two and a half weeks’ light work before coming back late last week,” Ms Cram said.
“We gave him a couple of days to get over the float trip, and he has been reshod and went back into work on Monday of this week.
“Territory Express is in terrific order and is a very athletic horse who comes to hand pretty quickly.
“Paul will give him a jumpout in Sydney once he feels he is ready, and then we’ll head south.”
Territory Express is one of 137 entries for the Cox Plate.
Only 14 horses can start, and the PMC Final hero clearly has to make further progress to be certain of a Plate start, with the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee having the final say on the make-up, even if it means a full field doesn’t line up.
Territory Express’ benchmark rating was lifted to 101 after defeating Hawkesbury’s Strait Acer (Edward Cummings) and Wyong’s Shadows Of Love (Kim Waugh) in the $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 13.
“Our aim is to get his rating up even further, and he will have two starts in Melbourne to try to achieve that leading up to the Cox Plate,” Ms Cram said.
“We realise he is going to be up against some very good horses, but we know we have a very good horse ourselves.”
Territory Express (Territories – Miss Chattering) is the first and only foal of his dam, who missed to both Sepoy and Duporth in consecutive years, and has been retired.
Territory Express will have a travelling companion in stablemate Thumps Up Babe, an unraced homebred four-year-old mare by Ready For Victory.
“Thumps Up Babe suffered a stress fracture to her pelvis, and has had a very long rehab,” Ms Cram said.
. HOOFNOTE: Niceforo has only three horses in work, and heads back to Canberra on Friday hoping to go one better with Departing Bullet.
Apprentice Olivia Dalton again rides the gelding in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1750m) on the ACTON (synthetic) track.
Dalton was aboard Departing Bullet when he led and was just caught by Tip Top Timing in a Benchmark 65 Handicap over the same course on July 26.
Story John Curtis, August 7, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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