Since Chris and Corey Munce took the reins as trainers for the five-year-old mare Gerringong, she has been in superb form, with further Sydney riches now in sight this Saturday.
The daughter of Blue Point made a triumphant return to racing, securing a hard-fought win in the Group 3 The Nivision over 1200m. She will now aim to add a Group 2 victory to her accolades when she competes in The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick.
The father-son training duo took charge of Gerringong over the Winter period after her transfer from Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s yard. During this time, she placed in both the Dane Ripper Stakes and the Tattersall’s Tiara, with the latter being a Group One race. Chris Munce is confident in her ability to perform well.
“She’s doing really well,” Munce said.
“It was good to see her get that win first up and she seems to have come through it really well.”
The Invitation boasts a significant $2 million in prize money, with half of that amount designated for the winner. Munce believes the increased distance to 1400 metres on Saturday will be a positive factor for Gerringong.
“She ran good over the 1,400 metres in the Group One over the winter, so no reason why she won’t do it again,” Munce stated.
“I suppose Saturday will determine how she measures up and where she goes and what she does.
“We’ll get over Saturday and assess her after that.”
In the five years since The Invitation was established, four of its past winners were either Group One victors entering the race or went on to achieve Group One success. This year’s complete field of 12 mares includes Idle Flyer and Lazzura, both Group One winners, who are assigned the joint topweight of 59kg under the set weight and penalty conditions.
Despite the high calibre of the field, Munce is confident Gerringong will contend strongly, particularly given her consistent form since joining their stable, predicting she will be “very hard to beat.”
Lazzura is currently the clear favourite for The Invitation at $2.35, with Verona Rose at $4.80. These two mares finished in the quinella in the Golden Pendant last start, while Gerringong is listed at $6.50.
Check out the latest online bookmakers for The Invitation.
