Racing: Melbourne Cup target for Sphenophyta

BRISBANE - It might be four months and two Australian states away but Waikato trainer Richard Otto is getting serious about the Melbourne Cup with his smart stayer Sphenophyta.

Ridden by top Queensland rider Jim Byrne, Sphenophyta easily stepped up to his biggest test to date with a two-length win in Saturday's listed A$200,000 ($241,000) Ipswich Cup (2150m) near Brisbane.

"I expected him to win but I didn't think he'd do it that easily," Otto said.

It has already turned Otto's focus to the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November with the five-year-old Groom Dancer gelding, who was a 3-1 second favourite in winning his fourth race from eight starts.

Sphenophyta will race next in the listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on July 1 in which victory would see him pass a Melbourne Cup qualifying clause.

Said Otto: "It wasn't a strong field yesterday but Caloundra should suit him a lot better, and if he wins that he's qualified for the Melbourne Cup. We'll have to sit down and have a good look at it."

Sphenophyta hinted at his staying potential with a six-length win over 2170m at Tauranga in March, before flying home for fifth over 1500m at Eagle Farm in Brisbane a fortnight ago.

Otto has had two Melbourne Cup runners, Na Botto and The Warrior, while another from his stable Pacific Dancer ran under the name of Queensland trainer Shaun Dwyer.

After Saturday's win, Otto rates Sphenophyta, a horse he part-owns, as the best stayer he's had.

"He probably is the best. He's got that hell of a turn of foot and that gives you something extra," he said. "He's bred to stay all day and is an ideal type for the Melbourne Cup."

Byrne, who rode his third Ipswich Cup winner, was stunned at Sphenophyta's turn of foot after settling him back in the field.

When he asked him for an effort at about the 700m on the tight Ipswich track, the gelding looped the field, picked up the leaders in a few strides and was two lengths clear just before the home turn.

"Jim didn't realise how quick he could go," Otto said. "He gave him rein and in three strides he's gone past them; he thought he'd made a big mistake."

It was a good day for New Zealanders at Ipswich, with the Roger James-trained Hasta La Ciao Ciao winning just as easily in the listed A$100,000 Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) for fillies and mares.

Ridden by Stathi Katsidis, Hasta La Ciao Ciao settled midfield on the inside, and once hooked to the centre of the track in the straight ran away to score by 2 3/4 lengths at odds of 10-1.

The five-year-old mare was having her second start in Queensland after a disappointing 12th in the QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago.

Said James: 'She ran undoubtedly the worst race of her life and came back with her tongue stuck well and truly behind the bit.

"We tried the tongue tie and she returned to her form of home. She's always looked a very good mare and that was the real her."

It was the Unbridled's Song mare's sixth win from 12 starts, and was just 0.02 seconds outside Aspen Valley's track record set five years ago.

It means a possible clash of stablemates next Saturday at Eagle Farm, with James considering backing up Hasta La Ciao Ciao alongside La Sizeranne in the group two A$400,000 Winter Stakes.

James confirmed La Sizeranne was on target for the Winter Stakes after her unplaced run in the Stradbroke Handicap last weekend.

- NZPA