LEADING trainer Brett Cavanough has delayed a decision about whether Just A Bullet will go around at Sandown today as the slick sprinter chases his first city success.
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Just A Bullet is quoted a $3.80 chance in the $35,000 Hal Baker Plate (1000m) at Sandown today but is also nominated for the $125,000 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
With showers predicted overnight, Cavanough said he would be hesitant to start Just A Bullet if the track rating was any worse than dead.
“It all depends on the track if he goes round,” Cavanough said.
“So we will look in the morning and see what happens.
“There are already a couple of scratchings out of the race but it looks a strong field with plenty of speed.
“He probably needs another run under his belt, to take his fitness to another level.
“He should then be cherry-ripe and if he blows them away today we might raise the bar and set our sights on something bigger.”
Just A Bullet stamped himself as the most exciting galloper in the Riverina after winning four of six starts in his first preparation.
After a second on debut at Albury, he strung together four consecutive wins before being narrowly downed in his first city start when beaten a nose at Moonee Valley in March.
The four-year-old finished a credible eighth when resuming from a 21-week spell at Moonee Valley on August 23, with the race run in close to race record time.
“His first-up performance was full of merit,” Cavanough said.
“He had a minor setback in the lead-up and he probably had a hard gallop too close to his race.
“I probably picked the wrong race for him first-up where he had to carry level weights despite rising sharply in grade.
“I thought he went super to be only beaten 3½ lengths and they were just outside Miss Andretti’s track record.”
In-form apprentice Jye McNeil is booked to partner Just A Bullet and claims two kilograms.
The Peter Moody-trained Il Cavallo is the $1.85 favourite, with regular stable jockey Luke Nolen to ride.