Easter Weekend will be a busy one for OTI owners and staff with eight runners over three days.
Melbourne Cup runner, Grey Lion, will make his long-awaited return to the track at Caulfield on Saturday in the Easter Cup (Race 9, 2000M). The striking grey was runner-up to Qewy in the Geelong Cup when fresh off the plane from France in the Spring Carnival and that effort was strong enough to see him start on the first Tuesday in November.
Trainer, Matt Cumani, has been pleased with Grey Lion’s progress this perpetration and has had the 5YO targeted at this race for some time. In a recent Geelong jump-out the son of Galileo hit the line impressively and based on that work he should be most competitive first up.
Pemberley and Nordic Flight resume in the 1600M Handicap (Race 10) that will be champion caller, Greg Miles’ swansong.
Arguably Miles’ greatest moment was correctly calling Viewed as the winner of the 2008 Melbourne Cup by the barest of margins over the OTI owned, Bauer. His impeccable judgement was unfortunately again spot on that day! OTI would like to congratulate Miles on a tremendous career and wish him all the best for the future.
Nordic Flight is resuming for Lee and Anthony Freedman after a long break. He has had three trials – showing improvement in each – and while the 1600M is seen as short of his best he should be hitting the line strongly.
Pemberley signalled he was ready for a racetrack return with a strong 1190M trial at Cranbourne on April 3. Trained by Ciaron Maher, the 5YO is likely to head north to Queensland for the Winter Carnival and Saturday’s race is seen as a suitable starting point for his campaign.
Jumpers, Renew and Wee Frankie, will resume their battle at Oakbank’s famous Easter Carnival on Saturday. Renew took to the fences like an old hand at his Warrnambool jumping debut when winning by a widening ten lengths over Wee Frankie – who ran a gallant second. Both are in good order ahead of their second hurdle race of the season and should again acquit themselves very well.
Duke Of Ellington will head to the Stawell Cup on Sunday after the abandonment of the Terang meeting last week. He’s coming off a dominant win in the Grand Handicap at Flemington and is expected to be very hard to beat in the 2000M event.
Zapping will head to Warracknabeal on Saturday in an attempt to break his Maiden status while Noro Lim will be OTI’s first runner with Amy Johnston, an exciting young trainer, when he resumes at Sandown on Monday.
It promises to be a huge weekend and hopefully there’s plenty of success ahead. OTI would like to wish all clients, and the wider racing community, a very happy and safe Easter.