Truly High has been knocking on the door of the winner’s stall the last three times that he has stepped out and will be tough to beat at a mile and a half this afternoon. The High Chaparral gelding won a Sandown 2100m race in late August and has since finished in the placings in staying races at Sale, Mornington and Bendigo respectively. He is rock-hard fit, weighted well and drawn to find a position close to the pace.
Toy Boy has returned to the track in terrific form this time and will relish the soft going at Geelong this afternoon. The Turffontein gelding trialled well in the lead-up to his spring campaign and resumed for a credible third over 1200m at Mornington, after settling at the tail of the field. He took a position closer to the pace at Bairnsdale last time out and was too good for his rivals when he extended late to comfortably find the winning post. This is a step up in class and he will face several decent horses, but he could enjoy the run of the race from barrier 4, and with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
Farooq has not shown his best form at his two most recent starts, but he is a horse with plenty of ability and can have an impact in what is an extremely open Geelong Classic. The Frankel colt resumed for a dominant win in a Morphettville sprint in early September and has continued to tune up through his three most-recent starts, all at black type level. He’ll step out to 2200m for the first time in his career and is rock-hard fit. This race always tosses up a couple of live Derby threats and I think that Farooq will be one of them.
British raider Withhold will be having his first run in Australia this afternoon and will stamp himself as a live Melbourne Cup threat by winning the Geelong Cup. The Champs Elysees gelding has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his entire racing career so far and has recorded an impressive record of four wins and five minors from only eleven starts. Roger Charlton will have the horse ready to fire and on his British form, he has a clear edge over his rivals today.