05/09/2008 12:02 PM
A competitive showing from Master O'Reilly in Saturday's Makybe Diva Stakes will be enough to satisfy trainer Danny O'Brien that the stayer is on target for a tilt at back-to-back Caulfield Cup victories.
Master O'Reilly will tackle a hot field in the G2 $505,000 race when he makes his debut at weight-for-age level.
A $41 chance, Master O'Reilly was not expected to threaten Weekend Hussler and Light Fantastic this Saturday.
"Light Fantastic and Weekend Hussler are proven WFA horses whereas our horse hasn't won at WFA or even run at WFA," O'Brien said.
"As long as he's competitive, I'll be happy."
The six-year-old son of O'Reilly has only raced twice since winning last year's Caulfield Cup, running eighth in the Melbourne Cup before again finishing eighth in May in a Group Three race at Morphettville over 1600m.
That was his only run in a light autumn preparation which was designed to maintain his fitness level ahead of his spring campaign.
"He did well in that. He's in good order, he's looking to get to the races," O'Brien said.
O'Brien has two other Melbourne Cup fancies on show in the nine-race program at Flemington - Gallopin and Lords Ransom.
O'Brien was hopeful Gallopin's first-up flop at Caulfield was a product of over-racing and the gelding runs an improved race in the Voodoo Handicap over 2000m.
But he was more confident with former Perth stayer Lords Ransom, who will start favourite in the The Sofitel Handicap (1700m) after resuming with an impressive third over 1519m at Moonee Valley.
"He's trained on well. You'd expect him to be pretty hard to beat," he said.