‘Top Cat’ tradition continues

[Wandering Eyes]

Regally bred staying prospect Play Nice will be striving to follow a proud family tradition in Saturday night’s Group 3 Top Cat Video Cup Final (730m) at The Meadows.

Play Nice, a son of the great Fernando Bale and Tears Siam, trained by Tim Britton, is a younger full brother to former champion Tornado Tears, a two-time winner of the Top Cat Video Cup, in 2018 and 2020.

Tornado Tears, affectionately known as ‘Batman’, also finished fifth as the raging $1.30 favourite in 2019.

Tim Britton, who also has a tough act to follow, being the son of Robert, widely regarded as Australia’s premier trainer of stayers, is hoping to celebrate his first Group success, with either Play Nice or kennelmate First Picked, both of which are raced by the Britton family.

“Play Nice isn’t in the top league yet, but he’s not far away.”

Play Nice (Box 8) is $5.50 in the $25,000 to-the-winner final, which is Race 8 at 9.07pm, while First Picked (Box 2) is a $14 chance.

Play Nice hadn’t won in his previous nine starts over 730m at The Meadows heading into last Saturday’s Cup heats, although the blueblood has been ultra-consistent since stepping up to ‘700’ in May.

He’s missed a place just three times in 14 starts and ran third in the G3 Fireball, also at The Meadows, in July.

Drawn in Box 2 in the second of two heats, Play Nice ($4) began well and quickly found the front, holding off a late challenge from favourite Aston Velvet ($3.10) to score in 42.61sec, his seventh win from 24 starts.

WATCH: Promising stayer PLAY NICE (B2) held on to defeat favourite ASTON VELVET (B7) to win a heat of the Group 3 Top Cat Video Cup (730m) in 42.61sec at The Meadows last Saturday night.

“He’s not in the top league yet, but he’s not far away,” said Robert Britton, who also trained 2017 Top Cat winner Fanta Bale.

“He’s only just turned two and he’s improved in the last two or three weeks. Hopefully, as he gets more seasoned, he’ll get a little bit stronger.

“He went to Sandown and won two or three ‘700s’ straight off the bat, but when we switched him back to The Meadows, he took four or five runs to get going. He was running placings, but I was starting to wonder if he was going to be a better dog at Sandown, so I was very happy with his heat win.

“He got up there really quickly, but from Box 8 on Saturday night it’s going to be a tougher ask to get to the front.

“It won’t be easy getting across against these dogs, so the draw is a bit of a worry, but if he gets some luck early and runs his 41.60sec he’s going to be in the picture.”

The Brittons’ other finalist, First Picked, also boasts a wonderful distance pedigree, with her grandmother Born Ali and ‘uncle’ Barcali both G1-winning stayers, while sire Benali was a Sandown Cup finalist.

“She’s only a baby too,” Britton said.

“She’s probably the slowest in the litter, which is why we put her straight over the distance.

“I don’t think she is possessed of a lot of ability, but the good thing is she can genuinely stay. The last 50m is the best part of her race and if she gets sucked into the race, she’ll be the dog running home.

“But Play Nice has got to be the better chance because he gets forward.”

The opening heat saw Tom Dailly’s four-time G1 winner Gypsy Wyong return to winning form with a 42.53sec victory, earning the chance to go back-to-back in the event that announced her arrival as a major player in the staying ranks 12 months ago.

After drawing Box 4, Gypsy Wyong is the $3.90 second elect, shaded by Michelle Mallia’s $3.80 favourite Aston Velvet, which will exit Box 5.

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