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The Gr.1 Auckland Cup ride on the Michael Moroney and Chad Ormsby-trained Surpass is up for grabs.
The current $6 co-favourite for the Barfoot & Thompson feature with Rock Diva is currently without a jockey.
Surpass won the Gr.3 Waikato Cup under Opie Bosson, who was also aboard the stayer when runner-up in the Gr.3 City of Auckland Cup and fifth in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes.“Opie’s jumped on Show The World for the cup so we’ve yet to confirm a rider,” Ballymore Stables’ racing manager Nick Fairweather said.
“Chad and Mike will discuss that in the next couple of days and a few jockeys have already tossed their hats in the ring.”Surpass completed his cup preparation with a last-start third in the Listed Kaimai Stakes at Matamata on Saturday.
“We were really happy with the run and the way he relaxed and he got home well,” Fairweather said.“It was a nice lead-up to Auckland and he’s doing everything right.”
The stable will also be represented in the Ellerslie feature by last year’s Gr.2 Wellington Cup winner Graphic, who ran eighth last time out in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup.“He had every chance and didn’t quite finish off as strongly as we would have wanted,” Fairweather said.
“In saying that, he will be fitter for the run and being a year older he has taken a bit longer to come up this time. He’s trained on well and should get the 3200 metres.”