Trainer KerryAnn Morris with her son Archie and husband Robbie Morris. Photo by Club Menangle
LEADING Sydney trainer KerryAnn Morris is launching a two-pronged attack on Saturday night’s $106,000Redcliffe Gold Cup.
The stable’s warhorse Petes Said So and ultra-consistent Cya Art are in Queensland to contest feature races, including the Group 2 at Redcliffe.
The Cup, which is run over the 2613m stayer’s course from a standing start, has grown in stature in recent years and again drawn a strong 12-horse field.
And the timing is perfect for the Morris pair, with both hitting form at the right time.
Cya Art produced a robust performance at Albion Park last Saturday after firing off the arm early in an open-class race and sitting on the back of Leap To Fame before running a handy second behind the local champion, beaten just seven metres.
The seven-year-old will be driven by prominent Queensland reinsman Nathan Dawson andwill start four horses out on the front line.
Stable driver Robbie Morris has elected to stick with three-time Inter Dominion finalist Petes Said So, who will carry saddlecloth nine from his 10m handicap.
The winner of more than half a million dollars in stakes, the gelding was impressive in his win from the stand last week at Redcliffe beating a strong open class field and Morris is confident he will run another big race on Saturday night.
“Both horses travelled up here well and settled in nicely, their performances proving that over the past few weekends,” said Morris.
“I was really taken with both of their most recent efforts.
“Cya Art was strong behind Leap To Fame running his usual honest race at odds, and Petes Said So was super when winning from the tapes at Redcliffe.
“I think if they can hold their form and get their share of luck, they will be serious threats again this weekend.”
Morris has been in career-best form with the reins in hand this season and his trip north has left those trainers who rely on his huge talent scrambling to replace him, especially wife KerryAnn and his good mate Troy Williams.
But the Morris family’s Lucky Lodge enterprise will call on stable foreman Josh Gallagher to fill the void while rising Bathurst star Jye Coney has also benefitted from Robbie’s absence.
Gallagher has eight drives on tonight’s Penrith nine race program while Coney will compete in five races.
