Stars set to sizzle on Super Saturday

He’s the Melbourne Cup favourite and trainer Gai Waterhouse has declared that The Offer will be out to win this Saturday’s Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam, comparing him to Cup Winner Fiorente.

“It was really brisk work,” Waterhouse said. “It was a stretch and extend exercise. He is very laid back but he attacked the line hard like a real racehorse.

“He is out to win on Saturday. He and Fiorente have one thing in common – the will to win.”

The Offer looked beautiful in yesterday’s morning run at Moonee Valley with stable mate Hippopus. One feature I particularly liked about the hit-out was that he hit the line hard.

If he is to win the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes he will replicate the early form of last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, who won the 2013 edition of the race. Typically the race has been a good form guide for the spring, with Happy Trails winning the race in 2012 before winning the Group 1 Emirates Stakes.

Another who also ran on well after a win was Rekindled Interest (2011), who went on to run third in the Cox Plate and third in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes behind Glass Harmonium. Whobegotyou was a Mooney Valley specialist and won this race twice during successful spring campaigns in 2009-10.

So it’s quite simple really, if The Offer puts in a really good performance he looks a real chance in what is set to be one of the most open Melbourne Cups in recent memory.

Meanwhile, Lankan Rupee will make a less-than-low-key return to the track in the McEwan Stakes. Some great sprinters have won the race over the years, including Hay List (2010), Nicconi (2009), Miss Andretti (2006) Mistegic (2002), Testa Rossa (2000), Flavour (1998) and Sequalo (1995).

Kuroshio was last year’s upset winner after coming into the race unplaced in the San Domenico Stakes. He defeated Moment of Change who showed plenty of quality before getting injured in last Saturday’s Memsie Stakes.

Platelet was also in last year’s edition and took out the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Caulfield during the spring. It’s interesting to note that the 2012 edition of the race wasn’t a great guide for the spring but was actually a guide for the autumn. Bel Sprinter (2013) won the Galaxy Group 1 at Rosehill in Sydney, and Platelet (second in 2012) claimed the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes and Group 1 Goodwood at Morphettville in Adelaide.

Sprint stars Haylist and Black Caviar both used this race as a spring racing springboard. Expect Lankan Rupee to be in the same boat as he looks to dominate this field. His closest competitor in the race, Sessions, finished seven lengths behind the star sprinter the last time the two met.

Trainer Mick Price was highly confident of his runner.

“He’s flying,” Price said. “He is about 5 kilograms over his ideal weight but he is where I want him and I expect him to win and then go on with a successful campaign.”

Lankan Rupee looks primed for a ripping campaign if he can culminate his previous form with his spring preparation on the last day of the spring in the VRC Sprint Classic at Caulfield.