It might not have been the original plan, but Robbie Laing said he is happy to give Falamonte her chance in Saturday’s Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
Laing flew the three-year-old filly to Queensland last Tuesday hoping to get a run in the Queensland Oaks, but learned the next day that was unlikely when she came up third emergency for the Group 1 feature.
Rather than bring her straight back to Victoria, Laing said he might as well give her a shot at a valuable win.
“There’s only 11 in it and she’s a very promising filly,” Laing said.
“It looks out of her league but if we just sit out the back and have one crack in the home straight who knows, she might run past half the field.
“It’s no good sitting at home in the box and saying ‘there’s only ten in the Brisbane Cup we should have given it a fly’
“There will be people laugh at us and heap it on us but I don’t really care.”
Coming off a fourth place finish in the Group 3 SA Oaks (2500m) in Adelaide, Laing said the daughter of Falkirk probably has more ability than her current record indicates.
“She’s got a very good finish,” he said. “When she won her maiden at Kyneton at her second start, she loomed up to win on the corner and got a fright went to the outside running rail. She then dropped back to second last but sprinted really quickly over the last 300m.
“We probably rode her a bit close in the Group 3 fillies race in Adelaide. She strode to the lead at the 300m but was just a bit flat.
“The run prior to that was a big run behind Bring Something at Caulfield. Honey Steel’s Gold interfered with her with 100m to go and she should have probably finished second.”
Set to be partnered by the in-form Tim Bell from barrier seven, Falamonte is currently rated an $81 chance with TAB.
Owned by Shergar Thoroughbreds, Laing will be out to secure his third victory in eight days for Shergar after preparing Ali Vital and Tristram’s Sun both to win at Sportingbet Park Sandown over the past week.
– Racing Victoria
