Racing: Typhoon Tracy in further as Sniper's Bullet scratched

MELBOURNE: Typhoon Tracy is an even more dominant favourite for today's CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield following the scratching of Sniper's Bullet due to an infection.

Mudgee trainer Tracey Bartley said the triple Group One winner had an elevated white blood cell count and he decided to withdraw the six-year-old gelding.

"It looks like he has an infection of some sort. It's not worth running the risk, I don't want to risk flattening him first-up," Bartley said.

"He's very well the horse, but something is not quite right so we've scratched him."

With Sniper's Bullet out of the Group One 1400m weight-for-age feature, trainer Peter Moody said Typhoon Tracy ($1.55 fav) was now looking to take a sit behind Danzylum ($21).

"I think Danzylum is one-dimensional in the fact that he races forward," Moody said.

"He's rock-hard fit and in form and his general pattern is to lead and we've got no great desire to want to have to lead so we're inclined to think he'll lead and we'll sit just behind him.

"In her last win at Flemington (in the Group One Myer Classic), she was happy to sit off a pretty solid pace and put six lengths on them in the space of 50 yards.

"But in saying that she is a very brilliant horse and horses have to go fast to head her just with her natural gate speed and her ability to travel at such a high speed."

Typhoon Tracy has drawn barrier one in the nine-horse field with Danzylum in gate two.

Mick Price is after his second Orr success with Heart Of Dreams ($4.60) following the success of Shinzig in 2008. Heart Of Dreams was scratched from what was to be his first-up assignment in the Group Two Australia Stakes won by Black Caviar at Moonee Valley two weeks ago due to an elevated white cell blood count.

But Price said he was still right on target for a crack at the A$1 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 6.

Craig Newitt, who landed his first Group One win in the 2006 Orr aboard Perfect Promise, will again ride Heart Of Dreams.

Master trainer Bart Cummings is happy with his star stayer Viewed ($18), who hasn't raced since finishing seventh in the 2009 Melbourne Cup, and Sirmione ($51) who hasn't started for nearly a year after going amiss.

"They are starting off and I don't think seven furlongs (1400m) suits," he said. Sirmione is going good but has never won first-up in his life.

"I'm happy with Viewed, maybe a little each-way on him." Viewed has won twice first-up and finished second and fourth twice from six tries.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking ($23), who hasn't won first-up, will be attempting to become the sixth Melbourne Cup winner to take out the Orr in the same season.

Saintly in 1997, Jeune (1995), Let's Elope (1992), At Talaq (1987) and Comic Court in 1951 are the Melbourne Cup winners to complete the double.

Kavanagh and jockey Michael Rodd are going for back-to-back Orr victories with Shocking having combined to win the race last year with 2008 Cox Plate victor Maldivian.

- AAP