New Zealand-bred Cosmic Crusader Headlines Bletchingly
Perth G1 winner Cosmic Crusader is set to have eight rivals for Victoria’s final stakes race for the season in the G3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this Saturday.
The Northerly Stakes winner at Ascot last December drew barrier one in the field of nine for Saturday’s $200,000 sprint, which will be his Victorian debut after owner/breeder Bob Peters transferred the rising six-year-old from his WA trainer Michael Grantham to Andrea Leek’s stables at Pakenham.
Despite being best suited beyond 1200 metres, Cosmic Crusader, who is unbeaten in three runs on slow tracks, has been marked as the early favourite for the race.
He is likely to progress from this race to the G2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield next month and then go into the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) over the same course third-up. All going well, he could end up in the Cox Plate.
His main opposition on Saturday may come from the 2024 Bletchingly winner Recommendation or from Grahame Begg’s pair of mares in Miraval Rose and Samangu.
It is worth noting that Bridal Waltz led home a trifecta of mares in the race 12 months ago.
Cosmic Crusader is by Maurice out of the Street Sense mare Cosmic Storm, whose seven wins included the Group Three La Trice Classic (1800m) and three Listed races. Cosmic Storm is a half-sister to three stakes winners including the Gr.1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) winner Superstorm.
While in New Zealand, Cosmic Storm was served by Windsor Park Stud stallion Charm Spirit. The resulting filly foal was named Cosmic Spirit and is also trained by Grantham. She has had three starts for two wins and a third.
