Connections of Matias have opted to target The Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day, attracted by the substantial $3 million prize money. They anticipate that a large field will contribute to a genuine racing tempo.
Matias, a strong winner of the Frank Packer Plate (2000m) in the autumn, made a solid return to racing with a fourth in the Cameron Handicap (1400m) at Newcastle. He then clinched his spot in The Big Dance by finishing second in the Big Dance Wild Card (1600m) behind It’s A Knockout.
While the Sydney Gold Cup (2000m), previously known as the Rosehill Gold Cup, was an option, co-trainer Gerald Ryan noted the significant $2.25 million prizemoney difference made The Big Dance the preferred target.
“He was going to run in the Rosehill Cup or the Big Dance, but with the prizemoney, the owners wanted to go to the Big Dance on Tuesday,” Ryan said. “The negative there is he could be looking for further than 1600 metres, but in saying that, looking at the way the field is shaping up, the Big Dance is going to be run at a pretty good tempo. That might help him. His two runs have been terrific, and his coat has come right through now.”
Reece Jones is booked to ride Matias from the inside gate. Topweight Gringotts will jump from barrier nine, aiming for a third consecutive victory in The Big Dance.
The seven-year-old is considered the standout in terms of class and has been steadily building its form. It resumed with a third behind Autumn Glow in the Winx Stakes (1400m), then finished two lengths behind the same mare in the Seven Sunrise Stakes (1600m), prior to a seventh-place finish last start in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m).
Joe Pride-trained Estadio Mestalla will carry the topweight of 62kg in the Little Dance (1600m), having qualified through its runner-up finish in The Gong (1600m) last November.
Pride has identified this Melbourne Cup Day consolation race as a primary objective since The Gong, and he expects the gelding to be the one to beat, despite its last-start defeat when favourite.
“He’s a better chance of picking up the Little Dance (than the Big Dance), and he’ll be hard to beat,” Pride commented. “He’s come through his last run really well. He’ll bounce back.”
Both The Big Dance and The Little Dance are set to have full fields of 20 runners, with The Barn Dance (1300m) and the Choisir Handicap (1100m) rounding out the Sydney feature races for the afternoon.
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