From the office of:-

THOROUGHBRED RACING S.A. LIMITED
Racing Services Officer - Jason Hickson
Telephone: 61 8 8179 9812
Facsimile: 61 8 8350 0080

Guineas day deja vu
October 10 – Jason Hickson

Dual-state trainer Leon Macdonald has plenty of memories from Caulfield Guineas/Toorak Handicap day – some good, some bad.

Back in 1997, a talented colt named Umrum went into the race as favourite, on the strength of two winning lead-up runs.

Unfortunately, Umrum “squeezed” himself and was gone before the turn, finishing a well-beaten last. After being gelded, he bounced back to his true form in subsequent seasons and has since run in four Toorak Handicaps on the corresponding day – winning two and placing in another. He has also won more than a $1 million since, as well.

This year, the old marvel is back again to run in another and try to create history by winning an unprecedented third Toorak.

“He’s been a great old horse,” Macdonald said. “This will be his fifth Toorak, which would be some sort of modern day record and he’s going for his third win. A few horses have won it twice but no horse has won the race three times. He loves the Caulfield mile and I thought his lead-up run (when fourth to Prince Rubiton) over 1400m last week was excellent. He’s getting on in years but he’s still racing well.”

Along with his happy memories of the Toorak, Macdonald is hoping to erase that Caulfield Guineas disappointment with another promising three-year-old, Great Glen.

Like Umrum five years ago, Great Glen is in excellent form leading up to the race but, unlike Umrum, Macdonald doesn’t have to worry about Great Glen, a gelding, squeezing himself.

“I’m really happy with the way he is going,” Macdonald said. “His win last start was excellent. He led all the way from a wide gate and did it tough, but fought on well to win. He’ll get a much easier run from the draw this time and I’m still convinced he’ll be a better horse when ridden with a sit.”

Great Glen’s mission on Saturday is two-fold. The first, obviously, is to win the race he has been set for since the beginning of the year and the other, and somewhat of a bonus for connections, will be to prove to Macdonald he can stay.

“Since he won the Breeders’ Stakes at Morphettville in February, this race has been his aim,” Macdonald said. “I’ve felt all along he’s a high-class horse and he gets the chance to prove it this weekend. But if he also suggests to us that he will get more ground then he’ll keep going toward the Derby. All going well he’ll run in the AAMI Vase at Moonee Valley and then on to the Derby.”

Macdonald has had a good run in Melbourne in the last few weeks, also winning with Hydrometer in the Listed Concept Sports Stakes and Eagle Rhythm in the Cranbourne Cup on Wednesday.

“Hydrometer is another going for the Derby,” Macdonald said.

“He’ll run in the Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield next weekend before the Derby. Eagle Rhythm will run in the Geelong Cup before either the Werribee Cup or Saab Quality, leading up to the Melbourne Cup.”

i thought he was agood thing myself.thats racing you win some you lose some.