11 March 2021 | Jordan Gerrans
Another two invitations have been handed out for the inaugural Group 1 $250,000 The Rising Sun with an exciting field of pacers being assembled.
The Belinda McCarthy-trained Expensive Ego was the first to accept an invitation for the race with the winner of the Group 1 NSW derby, Patsbeachstorm, and one of the leading NZ four-year-old’s, Copy That, following suit.
Patsbeachstorm accepts a three-year-old wild card invitation with a four-year-old invite going the way of Copy That.
To commence three action-packed weeks at Albion Park, the Group 1 Rising Sun – the richest race in the Southern Hemisphere for three and four-year-old pacers – will make its highly anticipated debut on July 10.
Patsbeachstorm, who is trained and driven by David Moran out of Shepparton in country Victoria, has started his career in outstanding fashion, winning six of his first eight starts, as well as two minor placings.
“It is really good, we are looking forward to it – hopefully we can bring a few horses up, maybe three or four ideally, but it may be just the two,” Moran said.
“It will just depend what is ready.
“The Rising Sun will put the icing on the cake for us because it is a great carnival already.”
Moran, who also has Australia’s best pacer Lochinvar Art in his barn, says a race like The Rising Sun could have been useful in years past and is glad that it is now available during the TAB Queensland Constellations.
“I think it is a great concept and clearly something that people have never thought of before this,” Moran said.
“When I took Lochinvar Art up for the Derby, I know he was only a three-year-old at the time, I was in two minds back then about missing the Queensland Derby and just going into the Sunshine Sprint and those sort of races.
“That is a prime example that this race would have been ideal if the concept was around then, but we will go with Patsbeachstorm this year.”
Star three-year-old Patsbeachstorm is likely to have a quick freshen up, and have a few southern starts before tackling the Queensland Derby, and then the first ever The Rising Sun.
Lochinvar Art recently missed going around in the $1 million Miracle Mile as the superstar of the sport battled to get back from a hoof injury.
Trainer-driver Moran is hopeful of bringing the winner of $1,368,456 in stakes to the Sunshine State, as well.
“Providing everything is good, that will be the plan,” he said.
“He will have a break for a few weeks to get him right, there is no time limits with him, we will just get him right for Queensland as there is not much around for him now.”
Victorian-based owner Merv Butterworth says Copy That’s plans for 2020 have changed following The Rising Sun invite.
The original schedule had the pacing excitement machine going to the Group 1 Easter Cup at Addington but connections have since reprogrammed towards The Rising Sun.
“He has been recognised as one of the top two horses in New Zealand as well as being the best four-year-old in the country,” Butterworth said.
“It is very exciting and the race will bring the best four-year-olds from the entire east coast to Queensland.”
Copy That is in line to race four times at Auckland over the next few months and potentially have one start in Brisbane in the lead-in to The Rising Sun.
In total, the Constellations will feature 11 Group 1s with the addition of the Rising Sun and The Golden Girl.
As part of the Rising Sun conditions, two wild cards for three-year-olds can be offered, as well as two invites to Australasia’s best four-year-old, with newly crowned Chariots of Fire winner, Expensive Ego, the first to be invited to the event.
With Patsbeachstorm and Copy That now on the way to the Sunshine State, only one invite remains for the first running of the race.
Racing Queensland Senior Harness Racing Manager David Brick said it was exciting to be able to hand out the second and third invitations for the first ever The Rising Sun.
“We are looking forward to seeing them at Albion Park later this year,” Brick said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
