It is the moment of truth for Zelemar Fever’s credentials as a champion in the Group 1 SKY Racing Perth Cup (530m) at Cannington on Saturday night.
The Linda Britton-trained sensation has become the pin-up of local sprint racing following a brilliant few months on then track and she comes into WA’s richest race as the fastest qualifier after clocking 30.30 in her heat.
All the wins, all the fast times and all the hype counts for very little, however, as she faces her greatest challenge here.
From box six her task is difficult one.
She concedes the inside to talented Victorian pair Allen Deed and Keybow as well as the up-and-coming Hillbilly Flash, and she is besieged with early speed on either side with High Recall in box five and Sveta Monelli and Star Recall on her outside.
Zelemar Fever (pictured) showed last week when she rode a check on the first turn and was then able to mow down the speedy Te Amo in the home straight that she can win it tough. But that was easy compared to competition she meets in the final.
Keybow’s heat win was very impressive as he was able to round-up Destini General and roll on to score comfortably in 30.50.
It was the Darren McDonald-prepared young race dog’s first look at the track and he should be greatly improved this week.
Zelemar Fever’s kennelmate, High Recall (Britton has four chasers in the field), is rocket-propelled out of the traps.
She has run first sections of 5.59, 5.64, 5.55, 5.65 and 5.60 in her past five starts, everyone of them resulting in all-the-way wins.
High Recall lacks experience against this type of opposition but her early speed will likely see her contest for the lead.
Paul Stuart will hope lightning can strike twice and that he can repeat the incredible double triumph he pulled off last year when Miata steamrolled her rivals to capture the Galaxy and then Dyna Nalin stormed to an unexpected victory in the Perth Cup.
The trainer-with-the-Midas-touch has Hillbilly Flash in the Perth Cup and Ash Flash in the Galaxy this time around.
Hillbilly Flash has thrived since joining Stuart’s ‘champion factory’ earlier this year and has saluted in all four starts at Cannington.
He’s only got 20 races under his belt and faces a big step up in class but that is the scenario Stuart is strikingly familiar with.
Dyna Nalin won in 2013 in what was only his 15th start.
Sveta Monelli comes into the race very much underrated but I think she is a smokey.
She will be at long odds out wide but she has good launching pace, has been ultra consistent and has already tasted success at group level.
From the pole, fastest qualifier Born Ali is the dog to beat in the Group 1 SKY Racing Galaxy over 715m (race five).
The Robert Britton-trained chaser clocked 41.71 and she is perfectly drawn to suit her front-running style.
If Born Ali gets away she will be hard to catch although Sweet It Is and Dyna Willow, both powerful finishers, will be relentless in their pursuit.
I like Dyna Willow as the main threat to Born Ali here.
Although her heat win was the slowest she has got plenty of big race experience and she came into this series on the back of a win over Born Ali in the Group 2 Summer Plate at Wentworth Park.
Ash Flash has won her past three and is improving with every run so she can’t be ruled out even though she jumps from eight.
Last year General Destini won the Group 3 Perth Cup Consolation and he again looms as a major contender from his inside draw in this year’s edition (race three).
Te Amo is a fine chaser and she is good chance to lead even though she exits from the seven.
Ollie Bale’s runner-up placing last week was his best result since winning the Group 1 Silver Chief in early January and gave some indication he might be getting back to his best.
He will jump in pink but that will not overly concern him especially if he can follow in Te Amo’s slipstream.
In the second Perth Cup Consolation (race two) the biggest threat to a Dyna Nalin victory is going to come from his kennelmate Fancy Dreamer.
With the advantage of the red Fancy Dreamer, a winner in 30.26 two starts back, may take some catching.
Best Bet: Awesome Project (Race 11)
Best Value: Dyna Willow (Race 5)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 1, 2, 3, 8
Race 6 - 2, 4
Race 7 - 3, 6
Race 8 - 3, 4, 6
$20 for 41.66%
