Rajasthan On Track For Sandown Cup Defence

IT may only be a lowly middle distance event but it’s shaping up as a clash that will shed further light on the upcoming Group 1 Sandown Cup series.

IT may only be a lowly middle distance event at Sandown but it's shaping up as a clash that will shed further light on the upcoming Group 1 Sandown Cup (715m) series.

We speak of the intriguing match-up between reigning Sandown Cup hero Rajasthan and pre-post series second favourite Zipping Truvy in race eight over 595 metres this Sunday.

And while the pair is racing for just the $1,600 first prize this weekend, the stakes will be much higher in a few week's time as we edge closer to the start of the $71,000 Sandown Cup series on May 21.

FIELDS & FORM FOR SANDOWN SUNDAY

Rajasthan, currently $18 with TAB to defend his Sandown Cup title, heads into Sunday's assignment in dashing form for Rob Camilleri.

“We are in a really good position this year because anything he does from here is a bonus for myself and the owners … there's no pressure at all,” said Camilleri.

“There's no secret that he's getting on a bit and he's not running the 700 as strong but his first three sections now are probably quicker than what he was running last year. If he made the final and found the front he'd be in with a chance … that's where you want to be.”

Winner at 34 of his 88 starts and $350,000 in stakes, the son of Kinloch Brae scored brilliantly at Bendigo over the 500 metres two runs ago before finishing second to fellow group 1 winner True Detective at The Meadows (600m) on April 18.

“He's going to be a little bit underdone for Sunday but we've put a plan in place to have him ready for the Sandown Cup … we've got three weeks until the heats so that's what we're working towards,” Camilleri added.

“I wouldn't say he's matured but he's more settled now and not as big a psycho.  You know what you're going to get from him. People make a bit of a joke of him but he's won 15 races since last year's Sandown Cup and just as many seconds. The owners love him … he's been a fantastic dog to them.”

In stark contrast to Rajasthan, the lightly raced Zipping Truvy steps on Sunday for the first time for new trainer Glenn Rounds, the prodigious talent working towards her staying debut in the Sandown Cup heats slated for May 21.

The daughter of Zulu Zeus was last seen on April 20, posting a blistering near record 35.79 for trainer Rob Tyler over the Bathurst 618 metre journey.

Interestingly, the Bathurst 618 metre track record is held by Rajasthan at 35.69, a time he recorded when scoring on Bathurst Cup night in February.

But with many pundits confident in the view that Zipping Truvy would have broken the Bathurst time-standard had it not been for interference in her outing, everything is in order for a cracking clash this Sunday afternoon.

Rajasthan will exit box four with a 33.83 personal best time beside his name for the 595 metres while Zipping Truvy will leave box five for her Sandown Park debut.

Zipping Truvy is currently $7 second favourite for the Sandown Cup with Mister Harlewood maintaining favouritism at $5 following two slashing 715 metre victories recently for trainer Jeff Britton.

The son of Worm Burner continues his Sandown Cup preparations at The Meadows this Saturday night against a talented field of stayers, including last year's cup runner-up Ella Enchanted and the Rob Britton-trained Blazing Cartier.

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