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SYDNEY - New Zealand stayer Pentane's Sydney Cup campaign gets serious on Saturday when he tackles a capacity field including weight-for-age star Desert War in the BMW (2400m) at Rosehill.
The Lance O'Sullivan-trained Pentire gelding yesterday drew barrier seven in the 14-horse field for the group one A$2.25 million ($2.57 million) weight-for-age event.
O'Sullivan said the horse would be flown to Sydney today and Danny Beasley had been engaged for the BMW mount.
Top Melbourne-based jockey Michael Rodd has been booked for Pentane in the A$800,000 Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 14 but Rodd had a prior commitment to Spirit Of Tara in the BMW.
Pentane was a fast-finishing second to Prize Lady on a rain-affected track in his last start in the Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 7.
O'Sullivan said Pentane was going better than when he won last year's Auckland Cup.
"He has shown around the stable and on the track that he his back to his best," O'Sullivan told the Thoroughbred News website this week.
"We hope to be competitive in the BMW this weekend.
"While there is no Eremein, if Desert War runs out the 2400m it will be hard to see him beaten."
The group one Sydney Cup (3200m) is run at Randwick on April 14.
Meanwhile, New Zealand mare Zilzie, trained by Ross Elliot at Cambridge, needs two scratchings to make the BMW field after being confirmed as second emergency.
Zilzie is also nominated for the listed Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
- NZPA
