Cheer, cheer for ‘Paps’

[Wandering Eyes]

Devon Meadows trainer Leigh Carter is ‘shooting for the stars’ with Why Not Paps in the Group 3 Cranbourne Classic series (520m).

Carter realises Why Not Paps is facing the ‘big league’ but is adamant he hasn’t been ‘thrown to the wolves’.

“He’s up to this level,” he said. “You’ll never know if you don’t have a go, and I’m a firm believer any dog can win on any given day.”

Why Not Paps, who is a $201 rank outsider for the series on TAB’s ‘All In’ market, lines up in a Cranbourne Classic heat tomorrow (Race 8, 5.50pm).

WATCH: Why Not Paps (4) clocks a tidy 29.74sec win at Sandown on March 5.

He’s pitted against a strong field, including G1 Vic Peters Classic winner Playlist.

However, Carter says “it’s not cut-and-dried for Playlist”. “It’s an even field with several chances, and I don’t think box four is as bad as it looks for my bloke.”

Why Not Paps (Mar ’18 Dundee Osprey x Why Not Jojo) has raced on 49 occasions for four wins, eight seconds and 14 thirds. He hasn’t won since March 5, when he posted a tidy 29.74sec victory at Sandown.

But Carter says his resilient speedster – owned and bred by his mother, Gail –hasn’t fully hit his straps. “He’s still a young pup, but I’ll probably step him up in ground after this series.”

Why Not Paps is named after Sydney Swans player Tom Papley, who is currently equal third with 21 goals on the Coleman Medal table.

“Dad (Gregory) has been a lifelong supporter of the ‘Bloods’… As a kid, when they were known as South Melbourne, he’d often take me out to matches at Lakeside Oval.”

Ironically, Carter is hoping Why Not Paps will ‘shake down the thunder from the sky’ during the next fortnight at Cranbourne.

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