Mark Twain is set for a hit-and-run mission to Flemington this Saturday to attempt to secure his Melbourne Cup spot for next spring.
The Auckland Cup placegetter is one of two horses – the other being Daqiansweet Junior – part-owned by OTI Racing to target Saturday’s $500,000 Roy Higgins Quality (2500m), where the winner becomes the first horse to be free of the ballot for next spring’s Melbourne Cup.
Mark Twain pierces through to get the win in the 5th from @TeRapaRacing @Kingsclere_Nz | @prima_park | @RichHillStud pic.twitter.com/DUwvQeKmbK
— TAB Racing (@TAB_Racing) February 10, 2024
“He hasn’t yet got a high rating – he’s only had 11 runs – so if he gets a run he can fly over next Wednesday and go jump back on the plane the following Tuesday,” OTI’s Terry Henderson said.
“It’s a good race but he could be our best horse for the Melbourne Cup. He’s a horse with an enormous turn of foot.”
Daqiansweet Junior, who is second-up into his autumn campaign after a second consecutive sixth placing in the Melbourne Cup, will also run in the Roy Higgins as connections eye another 3200-metre target.
“He’ll use that as his Sydney Cup led-up,” Henderson said. “Amade is going straight to the Sydney Cup.
“Chris (Waller) will decide whether he races Selino – he raced a bit better the other day – there or go to the Tancred and Athabascan will go to the Tancred.”
The above is an excerpt of Andrew Eddy’s Racing.com article and can be read in full here.
