Junior sets sights on Sydney Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

Progressive stayer Daqiansweet Junior (NZ) (Sweet Orange) will attempt to defy recent history on Saturday as he sets out to become the first horse since Gallic (NZ) (Zabeel) in 2007 to complete the Adelaide Cup/Sydney Cup double in the same year.

A winner of five of his past six starts, Saturday’s Group One contest will be the toughest race that Daqiansweet Junior has contested, but the Phillip Stokes stable is happy with the way that he’ll present for the 3200-metre event.

“He’s heading there in great order,” Stokes’ racing manager Michael Harrison said.

“He’s come on from his Adelaide run, we’ve just had him up at the farm, he loves it up there. We’re pretty happy with how he’s come through it, looking forward to it, Kerrin McEvoy on board, very excited.”

The former New Zealander has come a long way since joining Stokes’ stable, where he started off by finishing fifth in a Benchmark 64 at Moe back in October.

“You couldn’t have imagined it really,” Harrison said.

“Seeing his first-up run there at Moe and you’re thinking, ‘Where is he going to go’?, to seeing him get out to this grade and distance and to do what he’s done, it’s an outstanding effort from everyone here and the horse and Terry Henderson and all the ownership group, it’s been great.”

Given that he’s still only a four-year-old, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Daqiansweet Junior could continue on his upward trajectory either.

“Every run, he seems to get better,” Harrison said.

“I think the 3200m, that was his best win, the Adelaide Cup, Group 2. If he takes any more improvement out of that, he’s going to be going to some nice races looking forward.”

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