Hasta La War continues his road to a dream Melbourne Cup start for connections in Saturday’s $200,000 Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield.
The Sue Murphy-trained stayer worked through the line strongly first-up from a spell when beaten 6.15 lengths behind Soulcombe in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap and the Naracoorte trainer said the horse had comes through the run well.
“He’s pulled up really good,’’ Murphy said.
“Linda (Meech) was really happy with him, he was hitting the line strongly. Ideally, we would have liked him to have been in the clear a little earlier, but his best work was late and his sectionals were very good.
“She’s confident we’re on the right path as he steps up in distance going forward,’’ she said.
Murphy said despite a sticky middle barrier she’d like to see the horse making his run earlier, but at the same time knows the horse will be best suited when he gets to Flemington next start in the Bart Cummings over the 2500m.
“This is the plan and we’re happy going into Saturday,’’ Murphy said.
“The short straight at Caulfield probably doesn’t really suit him, we might try and get rolling a little earlier, but he’ll be better again out over further on the bigger track,’’ she said.
Hasta La War is marked a $51 chance with tab.com.au with $14 on offer if he can run into the placings.
Hasta La War was one of just two South Australian-trained horses among Melbourne Cup nominations.
The Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray-trained The Map will have her second run back from a spell at Morphettville on the Parks on Saturday after an encouraging return to racing when third behind Lord Vladivostok.
SA-owned stayer Berkeley Square was another among Cup nominations and will also tackle Saturday’s MRC Foundation Cup at Caulfield for Dan O’Sullivan.
