Hoping for an unlikely Hero in Cup
Fernie backs Sentimental Hero’s impromptu G2 Perth Cup berth
PERTH - Trainer Peter Fernie admitted he had never planned to target the TABtouch-Perth Cup (2,400m) for Sentimental Hero, but the leading Kalgoorlie trainer conceded his form was too good not to press on.
Sentimental Hero secured his place in the A$1 million (S$843,000) event following an unlucky second to Diamond Scene in the Listed ATA Stakes (2,200m) earlier this month.
The seven-year-old joined Fernie’s stable from Michael Grantham’s in August and was originally aimed at October’s Hannan’s Handicap (1,400m) at Kalgoorlie, where he finished second.
The gelding was then competitive in the Northam Cup (1,600m) and Luckygray Stakes (1,800m) before winning the A.J. Scahill Cup (2,100m) on Day 2 of The Pinnacles on Nov 23.
Fernie said the thought of stepping Sentimental Hero up in distance was only mentioned in a conversation with jockey Tash Faithfull after the Northam Cup.
“I think Tash, when she rode him in the Northam Cup, said she thinks he needs further,” the 16-time Kalgoorlie champion trainer told TABradio.
“Lucy (Fiore) said the same as well and then we decided to start stepping him up. We’ve just kept him ticking away.”
The son of Al Maher has drawn barrier 10 for the Group 2 feature and will be ridden by Fiore again.
Following his second to Diamond Scene in the ATA Stakes, Sentimental Hero has been supported into 4-1 favouritism for the Perth Cup.
Fernie said he expected the seven-time winner to improve enough to turn the tables on Diamond Scene and his form warranted lining up in the race.
“I think he should be a lot better this week,” he said.
“We let him tell us and if there was ever any issues of not being right, then we wouldn’t go there.”
Carrying 53kg and breaking from barrier 10, Sentimental Hero will be up against 14 opponents, including Diamond Scene (11-2), In Good Order (6-1), Young Werther (6-1), Serpentine (13-2) and Let’s Galahvant (8-1), who are the other runners in single figures.
As is often the case, three contenders will hail from the eastern states.
Besides Danny O’Brien’s Young Werther and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Serpentine, the Epsom Derby winner in 2020, the Ciaron Maher-trained Socks Nation, who will be at his fourth Ascot raid, albeit without winning, is also in the mix.
Defending champion Casino Seventeen should not be underestimated even if he could finish only fourth in the lead-up, the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst (2,100m), a little under two lengths off the winner In Good Order.
Five-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes flew from his Adelaide base to steer him, but it is Billy Egan who takes over on Jan 1.
On weights and measures, Grant & Alana Williams’ ward comes under sufferance as the toppie on 58kg giving five kilos to his nemesis, who looks well in on weights carrying only 53kg.
The Perth Cup will be run at 5.52pm (Singapore time), with warm weather forecast in the Perth metropolitan area delaying the start to the meeting.
As a result, the programme was also reduced from nine to seven races.
The first race, the Magic Millions Plate (1,000m) for three-year-olds will go off at 3.37pm and the last race, the Mumm Champagne Handicap, will cap the day at 6.55pm. RACING WA
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