Plans Fluid For Hunter Cup Fancy
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday February 2, 2008
DIVISIVE could be the horse best equipped in the $400,000 Group One Hunter Cup (3065m) but trainer-driver Peter Rixon is not taking any preconceived plans into the standing-start classic at Moonee Valley tomorrow.
The "Pheasants Nest Express" is a $4.50 second favourite after setting two track records in his standing-start wins since arriving in Victoria, in which he has shown his versatility.The five-year-old swooped on his rivals to win the Shepparton Cup on January 12, surprising even Rixon, and then sat outside SA Cup winner Smoken Up for the final lap to win the Pure Steel at Ballarat last week."His two runs have been perfect and everything has gone good with him since last week," Rixon said."It's a bit of a different race because it is off the stand and the main thing is really to stay out of trouble."Drawn where we are (the outside of the second row) that shouldn't be a problem but I have to make sure he gets away all right."Apart from a good start, Rixon has "no plans" and tactics will be dictated by the speed of tomorrow's Group One."Most of the time you can go into a race knowing where you are going to be and can plan what you want to do," Rixon said."The nature of this sort of race means it's more about getting the right run and not having any bad luck."I will be driving him to how the race is run and making decisions on the run."We have been in enough big races to know that he is up to it. I just have to give him his best possible chance."TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie reports Divisive is the best way in the TAB's fixed price market, which is headed by Safari, who is $2 out to $2.40."Out of the top four in betting, Divisive is the one we have been left with and we are very happy about that," Munsie said."There was good money for Blacks A Fake ($5.50) on Thursday but it seems to have dried up now."Victoria Cup winner Robin Hood joined the ill-fated Christian Spirit as a scratching yesterday.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury
