CAPTION: Fancy Pants proved too good in Sunday’s Wauchope Cup, defeating Twin Zero and Brave Ali at the Port Macquarie Race Club.
A GRAFTON Cup berth could be on the cards for Wyong gelding Fancy Pants after an impressive victory in the Wauchope Cup (1500m) at Port Macquarie on Sunday.
The former Victorian galloper, ridden by apprentice Serg Lisnyy, led all the way to win the feature race by almost three lengths for trainer Allan Kehoe.
“I’ve always had the Grafton Cup in the back of my mind, but he’s had a few problems in his legs,” Kehoe said.
Fancy Pants, a six-year-old grey by champion Lonhro, made the most of a wet track (slow 6) to win the $27,000 race.
“He’s two from two on a heavy track and he excells on any surface with the sting out,” Kehoe said.
“If he comes up well I think we’ll take him to Grafton.”
Although the sun was shining brightly at Port Macquarie, wet weather in the lead-up to the race meant horses had to shift to the outside fence in the home straight to be in the running.
It was a talking point on Sunday as the track surface towards the outside fence was clearly firmer than the inside.
The only local winner on the day came in race four, when John Sprague continued his recent good form in the Class 2 Handicap (1000m).
Backing up from a maiden win at Taree on 4 June, Pradnya made it two on the trot when she won with Dale Spriggs in the saddle.
The three-year-old filly took advantage of her wide draw and produced a big run on the outside to win by just over a length.
