Trainer Andrea Leek is undecided on the specific spring direction for Cosmic Crusader, but she is anticipating his race day return this Saturday.
The Western Australian gelding, who has a Group 1 victory to his name, is set to make his Victorian debut in the $200,000 Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield.
This five-year-old stallion, owned by Bob and Sandra Peters, made the move to Leek’s Pakenham stable from Perth’s leading trainer Michael Grantham. Grantham had prepared Cosmic Crusader for his Northerly Stakes triumph last year, and Leek is exceptionally pleased with how the horse has adapted to life in Victoria.
“I think he loves it,” Leek commented. “He seems very happy and we’re just looking forward to seeing what he can do on Saturday. It’s a bit short of his (best) distance, but you’ve got to start somewhere and it just looked like a nice starting point.”
Leek indicated that no firm spring target has been established for the horse, who arrived in Victoria widely regarded as WA’s premier galloper, with Peters eager to observe his performance this weekend.
The son of Maurice was unable to secure a start in Perth’s most prestigious race, the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m). However, he achieved a dominant win in the Listed Carbine Club Stakes (1400m) on the same day, preceding his Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) victory on December 6.
He subsequently dropped back to 1400m for the Group 3 Gold Rush just seven days later, where he was narrowly beaten by the Victorian sprinter Rey Magnerio.
Cosmic Crusader has not raced over 1200m since a win at Ascot in October 2024, his second success at the distance in three attempts. He enters the Bletchingly Stakes following a single Victorian jumpout, which saw him finish second to Pop Award at Caulfield on July 1.
“He had the one jumpout at Caulfield, just to give him a look at it,” Leek said. “I was really happy with it, very happy.”
Cosmic Crusader was among 13 nominations for the weight-for-age Bletchingly Stakes. Potential rivals include Monash Stakes winners Winnasedge and Recommendation (the 2024 victor), the talented Zou Sensation, and Group 2-winning mare Miraval Rose.
The Bletchingly Stakes is a key race on the Caulfield card, and many are keen to place bets on the event through betting markets for the race.
