Marton trainer Geoff Georgetti will pull off a magnificent training feat if his mare Bexley wins tonight's $150,000 Avondale Cup.
Georgetti has nursed the six-year-old Honor Grades mare back from a tendon injury 12 months ago to the point where she is now in with a royal show of providing the family with another group one success.
The Georgettis already have an Auckland Cup on their mantelpiece courtesy of Ligero, in fact every time they venture past the Bombay Hills they are a force to be reckoned with.
Although Bexley has never raced at Avondale she has a 100 per cent winning record from two appearances at Ellerslie.
Bexley has had three starts in her new campaign, for two wins and an unlucky seventh behind King Keitel in the Counties Cup at Pukekohe on November 25.
She kicked off with a premier quality win over 1400m at Trentham on October 21 and then took out the $30,000 Deutz Stakes (weight-for-age, 2000m) at Ellerslie on November 7.
Georgetti has been piling the work into Bexley and encouragingly there has been no sign of the tendon flaring up again.
"She pulled up really good after Counties and I couldn't be happier with her," he said.
"She is a lot stronger now than she was as a three and four-year-old so she needs a lot of work. She's had three good gallops since Counties."
Bexley, who has won six of her 25 starts, is the last foal of the good racemare Westend. Westend's dam Havering was a brilliant sprinter and also left topliners Globetrotter and Daisy
Georgetti's biggest concern tomorrow is Bexley's barrier draw of 15. His hope is noted pacemakers Native Chief, Windsor Phew, Call Minder, Master Pom and The Immortal One go at breakneck speed and open the field up, allowing jockey Paul Taylor to slot Bexley hard on their heels.
"I'm a little bit nervous as you always are before a big race, but I reckon if we can get any sort of run then she'll be right in it," Georgetti said.
"King Keitel has to be the one to beat again and I fancy Kaapeon a bit too."
The Georgettis are extra keen for success tonight because it would be invaluable on the breeding side of their operation.
Bexley is likely to return to Auckland in less than a month's time for her first try over 3200m in the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on January 1.
"Jack (Geoff Georgetti's father) wants to go for the Auckland Cup so that is where we will likely go," Georgetti said.
"In all her work she settles good but she would need a true pace otherwise she might pull a bit."
Meanwhile, fellow Central Districts trainer Grant Searle is just hoping for some luck in the running with Kaapeon in the cup.
The Kaapstad gelding was a luckless fifth in the group one feature last year and was again the victim of interference when fifth at his last start in the Counties Cup (2100m) on November 25.
Kaapeon got pushed back to near last on the turn in the Counties Cup and then copped interference when attempting to take a gap in the straight. He was subsequently promoted from sixth to fifth.
"He still came home very well and with an uninterrupted run he would have been fighting out the finish," Searle said.
"One day things will go right for him."
- NZPA
Racing: Bexley looks to cap great comeback
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.