Australia calling Crouch

Awapuni stayer Crouch will bid to capture an elusive stakes victory this weekend before he readies to head across the Tasman to test his talent in Melbourne next month.

The six-year-old son of Tarzino announced himself as a genuine staying prospect when runner-up in last year’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) before repeating that result in this year’s edition, and he backed that up with a third placing in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham last month.

He will attempt to improve on those results when he heads to Otaki on Saturday where he will contest the Listed NZ Punter Of The Year @ HB Spring Carnival Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m).

“I thought his run in the Awapuni Gold Cup was really good the other day, it showed that he is still competitive at lesser distances when he is a little bit fresher,” said trainer Mike Breslin, who also part-owns the gelding.

“He does need some cut in the track, so it is good that he has got that on Saturday by the look of it, the track came up a Heavy8 this (Thursday) morning.”

All going to plan, Breslin will then ready Crouch for a trip to Australia where he has identified the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) at Caulfield on May 31 as an ideal race.

“He is not good enough to be running at Carnival time in Australia, so this is a race I have picked out,” Breslin said. “He runs a strong two miles, he is a six-year-old gelding, so we might as well have a go.”

While also contemplating the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) on May 7, Breslin said it will likely just be a hit-and-run mission.

“There is a race a couple of weeks beforehand in the Warrnambool Cup, but just looking at the logistics, it’s more likely just to be the one run because it (Sandown Cup) is a two-mile race,” he said.

“He can then come back for a spell and race in New Zealand in the spring again and ultimately have another go at the Wellington Cup.”

Crouch will likely be joined in Saturday’s contest by stablemate Donnybrook, who campaigned in Australia last year, however, that mission was cut short following three jumpouts.

Breslin has taken a patient approach with his return, and while he hasn’t featured in his resuming five runs, his handler is hoping he can fire this weekend if he gets conditions to suit.

“He has had a long, slow build-up after a failed mission in Australia so he’s been a little while off the winners’ circle, but I am really happy with him and he just wants some genuine cut in the track to start showing us whether he is going to come back and take the next step,” Breslin said.

“He went really well two starts back at Trentham when he ran fifth and then he went on a track that was a touch too firm for him in the St Leger, however, he has come through it well.

“The weather forecast was a bit mixed this week, so we decided to pay up with him and it looks like he is going to get a track with plenty of cut in it. I will just make a final call on Saturday with him, but he is a chance to run now.”

Breslin will also be chasing stakes success with a fresh Ima Brazen One in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m).

“It has always been the plan to run in this race,” Breslin said.

“The field has come up stronger and deeper than I thought it would, but we are sticking to our plan, she runs well fresh so we thought we would try and get a bit of black-type with her early in her preparation.”

Breslin will also be represented at Otaki by last start placegetters Kereti and East End Lad in the Porirua Club Punters Handicap (1200m).

“Kereti is a pretty talented horse, he just beats himself a little bit sometimes being a little bit erratic,” Breslin said. “Mentally he can be a bit all over the place, but I was really pleased with his demeanour at the races last time and he relaxed nicely. If he repeats all those things with added fitness from his first-up run, he should be in the fight in a good rating 65 race.

“East End Lad is a very talented horse. He has never gone a poor race. I was rapt with him first-up, he has improved since then and he will run well.”