Chace The Great, Orpheus clash over two turns
The second and third-place finishers in the April 9 Post To Post 2,000 Guineas – Orpheus and Chace The Great – clash again tomorrow, with both horses set to navigate two turns for the first time in their respective careers.
Chace The Great, trained by Dwight Chen, carries 54.0 kgs, with Jevvanne Erwin replacing Aaron Chatrie in the saddle.Orpheus, trained by Anthony Nunes, goes with 53.0 kgs for the services of champion jockey, Shane Ellis.
In the Guineas, Chace The Great was prominent throughout, but lost some of his shine in the straight – beaten by half-a-length by Orpheus and a further length and a half behind winner Future King.
Orpheus was somewhat off the pace in the 2,000, but came storming home to fill the runner-up slot.
The two raced against each other just prior to the one mile Guineas in the seven-furlong Prince Consort Stakes where
Chace The Great defeated Orpheus by close to two lengths.
Now venturing over two turns (9 furlongs and 25 yards), a clear line can be drawn between the two at the end of this one, certainly with respect to their chances in the remaining Classic races.
Based on the Guineas run it would appear that Orpheus is more likely to appreciate the extra racing ground. Many racing analysts, however, view the distance as more of a sprint, which will favour Chace The Great.
The speed in the race should, however, come from the Gordon Lewis-trained Gary Glitter who has the unflattering distinction of being a disqualified winner. The race tomorrow is a non-winners of three while Gary Glitter is a non-winner of two.
Gary Glitter has some speed, which his jockey Ryan Wilson would do well to utilise.
The others in the six-horse field – Mesmerize, Counter Attack and Cruising Motion – can be seen as fillers.
Chace The Great and Orpheus are the two to watch, with the nod going to Orpheus, but only by a smidgen.