Pearcedale trainer Jason Thompson says his main Cup chance, Aston Galilee, may yet rival kennel champ El Galo as his best-ever sprinter.
– Paul Pickering
JASON Thompson bel-ieves his precocious sprint star, Aston Galilee, has what it takes to become the most inexperienced dog ever to win the Melbourne Cup.
The champion Pearce-dale trainer, who will have two runners in tonight’s final, already rates the 23-month-old – a novice of just seven races – among the best dogs he has had.
Aston Galilee, by 2003 Melbourne Cup champion Bombastic Shiraz and out of Group 1 winner Elite Oriental, toyed with his more experienced opponents en route to an all-the-way heat win in 29.66 seconds last Thursday night.
Thompson, who won the Cup with Light of Fire in 1994, says his latest missile sits behind only El Galo for sheer racing talent.
“At this stage I wouldn’t rate him up there with El Galo, but he’s certainly equal to some of the other ones we’ve had,” he said.
“He mightn’t be as quick as some of the others, but he’s just a good racing dog. He begins safely, chases hard and is a real competitor.”
And while Aston Galilee’s best racing is clearly ahead of him, Thompson wouldn’t be surprised if he caused an upset tonight.
“It’s asking a lot of a young and inexperienced dog to even put him in a Melbourne Cup, but he’s got an old head on young shoulders,” he said.
“The favourite (El Grand Senor) will be very hard to beat, but (Aston Galilee) has proved over the last two weeks that – with a bit of luck – he’s capable of winning, so it’s exciting.”
Thompson reckons it will take a lot of luck – and maybe some carnage at the first turn – to bring his other runner, Outa Credit, into the frame from box six.
Aston Galilee will wear the number three rug.
Kantarn Bale currently holds the record as the most inexperienced Cup winner, triumphing in 1999 in just his 10th start.
