KEY POINTS:
In the absence of reigning titleholder Eremein, Desert War is the prohibitive odds-on favourite for today's group one Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill.
With Eremein sidelined by a muscle injury, his arch rival has been installed at $1.70 with TAB Sportsbet in New South Wales and most punters believe the giant Gai Waterhouse-trained gelding has the 2000m race at his mercy.
For County Tyrone's trainer Kris Lees, the absence of Eremein meant something entirely different.
"It probably means we finish one closer," Lees said.
At $26, County Tyrone is the roughie of the seven-horse field. This year's autumn carnival is the 8-year-old's sixth, although he is showing some signs it will be his last.
After winning last year's Sydney Cup at his fourth attempt, County Tyrone is back and Lees said he was going as well as when he won the Sky High Stakes on the corresponding programme a year ago.
Following his outstanding second-up fifth to He's No Pie Eater in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm last start, it's hard to argue.
"He ran a nice race in the Chipping Norton," Lees said. "I was a little bit surprised but he can do that second-up occasionally.
"Saturday he may well race more dour because he is getting ready for longer races, but with the small field he might be able to get into the money."
Lees' concern is that Desert War, who appears to be the only leader on paper, will get an easy time of it in front and turn the race into a sprint home.
While County Tyrone has raced forward once when stepped up over ground in previous campaigns, Lees said now he was older he probably wouldn't have the pace to race handy.
"He will get back off them and he should be strong at the finish but if it's a sit and sprint then it won't suit him."
The warhorse's main target this autumn is the defence of his Sydney Cup crown.
While Lees ran him in the Chairman's Handicap a week before he was fourth to Makybe Diva in the 2004 Sydney Cup and again before his second to Mahtoum in 2005, he adopted a different approach last year.
He ran County Tyrone in The BMW (2400m) as his final lead-up and the two-week break into the Cup proved a successful formula.
Lees sees no reason not to follow the same pattern this time around.
The group one The BMW (2400m) is at Rosehill on March 31, with the Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick two weeks after that.
* Apache Cat is poised to complete a winning hat-trick in today's group two Blamey Stakes which will provide a springboard to Sydney group one riches in the George Ryder Stakes and the Doncaster Handicap.
The chestnut is racing in the best form of his career and trainer Greg Eurell is confident the Lion Cavern 4-year-old is at the top of his game for today's A$350,000 ($400,000) set-weight plus penalties event over 1600m at Sandown.
"We've been very happy with him. Both his runs this preparation have been strong, convincing wins and he's probably trained on accordingly," Eurell said. "I'm very happy with him leading into this race, that's for sure, and the overnight rain doesn't hurt his chances either.
"This race has probably turned out to be a perfect race for him. No race is easy, especially group races, but it's very suitable for where he's at at the moment."
Apache Cat has won eight of his 19 starts including the 2006 group one Australian Guineas (1600m) and group two Phar Lap Stakes, but has never raced better than this campaign with a first-up win under 61kg in the BMW Stakes (1100m) and then a 3 1/4 length victory over Blamey rival Bon Hoffa in the Carlyon Cup (1400m), both at Caulfield.
"Probably he's taken another step. He's in great order at the moment, there are no issues and he's racing to his best," Eurell said.
"I think he's just become a more seasoned galloper."
If there is to be an upset in the Blamey, it could from Molotov, who won impressively over 1600m at Sandown at his second start for leading trainer David Hayes since being transferred from the suspended Jim Conlan.
"I think he has a huge future. He could develop into a weight-for-age horse," Hayes said.
Apache Cat is the odds-on favourite at $1.75 ahead of Red Dazzler at $5, Bon Hoffa at $9 and Molotov at $11.
- AAP
