Despite confronting some of the nation’s elite juvenile stables and highly-credentialled horses, trainer Ben Brisbourne is expressing confidence ahead of Tuesday’s Maribyrnong Plate.
The young Englishman has two runners entered for the $240,000 Group 3 race, which marks the commencement of the Melbourne Cup Day racing action.
Lumineux and Rain Bender will represent Brisbourne against a strong field that includes the $1.1 million Anamoe colt Amsterdam, trained by Ciaron Maher, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-conditioned pair Royal Press and Jetsetter, Lindsay Park’s La La Lilly, and Funded from Anthony and Sam Freedman’s stable.
Brisbourne stated that it was not a deliberate long-term strategy to have multiple runners in one of Victoria’s premier two-year-old races held before Christmas, but affirmed that both horses have met his training and educational standards and merit their inclusion.
“These were just a couple that have been in the system, ticked every box that we put in front of them and there’s been no reason to put them out,” he said.
“There are not many two-year-old races around, so they find their way into the Maribyrnong Plate.”
Lumineux, a gelding sired by the South Australian stallion Strasbourg, secured a win in an 800m jumpout on October 9, a heat that also featured La La Lilly. He subsequently finished a narrow second to Jetsetter in another workout two weeks later.
Rain Bender, one of the few horses by Villermont, exhibited promising speed to win both of her trials, the first at Wangaratta on October 7 and the second at Flemington on October 23.
Brisbourne’s representatives are currently the longest-priced runners in the race, with Rain Bender at $19 and Lumineux at $26. The trainer, however, anticipates they will outperform these odds.
“I thought the filly jumped out extremely well and I thought she’d come up a lot shorter in the market than she is,” he said.
“The gelding, he’s been pretty faultless. He’s a very tradesmanlike horse, you wouldn’t really know what’s under the hood until you really put him under pressure.
“They’re both nice horses that will win races and we look forward to starting them off here at Headquarters.”
Champion rider Craig Williams has been booked to partner Lumineux, who drew barrier six in the nine-horse lineup. Rain Bender will start from the adjacent position, with Lachlan King in the saddle.
For those interested in the action, explore the competitive betting markets for the Maribyrnong Plate with various sports betting platforms.
