By Ainsley Walters, Staff ReporterTRAINER DESMOND Shand is eyeing a three-timer on this afternoon's nine-race card - INCORPORATE in the third at 1820 metres, CYCLOPS in the 1400-metre Joshua Morrison Memorial feature race and MISS STRAWBERRY in the eighth at 1400 metres.
Post time is 1:30 p.m. with the first Pick-9 race as the opening event.
INCORPORATE might find beating Percy Hussey's TO SIR WITH LOVE a tall order after the colt's big run behind JACK DE PRINCE two Saturday's ago. However, CYCLOPS and Maiden stablemate MISS STRAWBERRY should at least hand Shand back-to-back winners on the midweek programme.
Sparingly-raced MISS STRAWBERRY has only been to the races on four occasions, three times so far this season, and went missing for all of four months after making her seasonal debut in February.
Since that creditable February run, fifth by seven lengths behind five-length winner THE INTERN, MISS STRAWBERRY finished down the track twice in subsequent races, her last effort being a dismal next-to-last run behind HIGHEST CREST and DUE RESPECT a month ago.
However, MISS STRAWBERRY's exercise spins suggest she could be better than the level, especially with earnings conditions keeping out the better three-year-old Maidens.
She galloped with stablemate CYCLOPS on Sunday morning and held her own in a half-mile blowout timed in 51.2. Earlier this month she had a similar gallop and with Shand calling bustling lightweight jockey Robert Reid, the gamble could be on.
SEA PIRATE, with leading apprentice Paul Francis aboard, could be MISS STRAWBERRY's main threat in the 11-horse line-up. The Tensang Chung-trained gelding led for furlongs before weakening out of contention in a 1500-metre race won by MOLTEN LAVA three weeks ago.
Chung's runner was even ahead of MISS STRAWBERRY a month ago, finishing fifth by 11 lengths behind HIGHEST CREST and DUE RESPECT. However, Shand's a sly trainer and it must be noted when MISS STRAWBERRY faced MOLTEN LAVA in her first two races she wasn't more than two lengths behind on either occasion.
In the Joshua Morrison Memorial, CYCLOPS gets a second shot at non-winners-of-two following his gallant effort against SIR VISHNU KUMAR, beaten 2 1/2 lengths after trying to steal away at a mile.
Not to be denied, SIR VISHNU KUMAR stormed home along the rail to overhaul CYCLOPS, franking the form which had him placing fourth among non-winners-of-three a week earlier.
Returning among non-twos going a furlong shorter with Marklee Buchanan's four-kilo claim, CYCLOPS will be a tough nut to crack having finished ahead of most of his rivals in recent races.
Bettors hunting a banker to key their exotic wagers should look no further than the Husseys' CAT PRINCE in the 1000-metre straight fifth race. The American-bred colt got banged around at the start when winning on debut a month ago at the distance.
Trainer Percy Hussey has his imported runner looking even sharper in the mornings, posting 59.4 from the gate two Tuesdays ago. After showing so much speed on the exercise track, CAT PRINCE will have to be caught napping.
