Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith is spreading his stable’s runners over three states this weekend headed by Grey Lion in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup.
Grey Lion goes to the Brisbane Cup off two recent stakes wins in Sydney over 2000 metres, the most recent the Lord Mayor’s Cup on May 18.
He has been kept up to the mark with a barrier trial last Friday.
The gelding won over 2500m when trained by Andre Fabre in France and has a 2400m-win in Victoria for previous trainer Matt Cumani.
He is among the leading contenders for Saturday’s race with the market led by Sixties Groove ahead of Wednesday’s acceptances.
“He is in great shape and I can’t fault him,” Smith said.
“He looks good and is working well.”
Kathy O’Hara has ridden Grey Lion to his two Sydney wins and retains the mount in the Brisbane Cup.
Grey Lion is owned by OTI Racing which also has Attorney in the Smith stable.
Formerly trained in France by Mikel Delzangles who won the 2011 Melbourne Cup with Dunaden, Attorney is also entered for Newcastle.
“We are favouring Newcastle for his first Australian start,” Smith said.
Another OTI-owned stayer, Plymouth Road, is scheduled to run over 2400m at Randwick after a close fifth in the Warrnambool Cup.
“His run at Warrnambool was enormous,” Smith said.
“Josh Parr will ride him and he has to be a chance.”
Article by Just Horse Racing.
