So You Are improves chances of making Melbourne Cup field
In-form stayer So You Are has taken a major step towards securing a Melbourne Cup start after winning the $500,000 Bendigo Cup.
A borderline Melbourne Cup entry for trainer Bjorn Baker, So You Are converted a string of Sydney wins to keep his chances well and truly alive for a Flemington start on Tuesday.
So You Are, the $3.60 favourite, settled behind the leader for jockey Rachel King in a solidly run Cup before pushing into the clear the 400m.
He established a winning lead before holding off Berkeley Square ($31) and scoring by three-quarters of a length.
Litzdeel ($9.50) took the minor placing after momentarily looming as a threat at the 200m, with Kings Valley’s Melbourne Cup bid over after he finished fourth.
At 53kg, So You Are sat 28th in the Melbourne Cup order of entry before Wednesday’s win, but the five-year-old is eligible for a weight penalty that might be enough to move him into the top 24.
“It’s been a bit frustrating. He’s done everything he can, the horse, so he deserves to be there. Hopefully that’s enough to get him in,” stable spokesman Luke Hilton said.
“He doesn’t win by big margins, which probably comes against him in getting a little bit more from the handicappers, but he just keeps doing it, so you can’t knock winning form.”
King said So You Are erased any doubts about an inability to find his best when asked to race in the Victorian direction.
“He had had a couple of runs in Melbourne and probably not run up to standard before, so it’s good to see him get it done this way around,” she said.
