THE Melbourne metropolitan trainers’ premiership battle between Darren Weir and the combination of David Hayes and nephew Tom Dabernig is shaping up as one of most intriguing contests of the racing season.
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They are locked together with 45 wins at the halfway mark of the season after another tantalising weekend.
Weir had three wins over Friday night’s Moonee Valley and Saturday’s Flemington meetings.
Hayes and Dabernig tasted success five times at the two venues.
Weir produced Baremin ($11) in a benchmark 70 handicap, 1600m, and Chosen Moment ($3.80) in a benchmark 70 handicap, 1000m, at Moonee Valley.
Chosen Moment was having his first start for Weir, having transferred from Anthony Freedman. Magnus Reign ($10) then saluted in a benchmark 90 handicap, 1200m, at Flemington.
The five-year-old is another to have joined the Weir stable midway through his racing career, having been with Rick Hore-Lacy until midway through last year.
STEEP has provided the Ballarat stable of Barry and Glen James with a second country cup for the year.
The James launched 2015 with Asset Hound winning the Burrumbeet Cup on New Year’s Day.
Steep ($7.50) greeted the judge in the $20,000 Woodend Cup, 1450m, at Kyneton on Saturday.
Stable jockey Kevin Forrester was in the saddle – adding to his 2014-listed Ballarat Cup. Steep now has three wins for the James, since they acquired him via the Patinack Farm operations when trained by John Thompson.
The five-year-old finished a length clear of the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Leicameares ($1.50 favourite).
Leicameares’ effort took O’Sullivan’s run to one win, five second and two thirds with his latest eight starters.
PROMISING three-year-old Lucky Liberty has been elevated to the second line of betting for the group 1 Australian Guineas after maintaining an unbeaten start to his career at Flemington.
The Henry Dwyer-trained gelding sat three and four wide in Saturday’s Flemington Rose Garden Handicap, 1420m, but his class shone through as he held on to score by a head.
Lucky Liberty ($2.90 favourite) was having his first city test after an impressive win in a Mornington maiden and a benchmark race at Sale in his previous two starts.
Dwyer, who supports his Caulfield stable with a satellite operation in Ballarat, said the group 3 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington was the next step for Lucky Liberty in three weeks’ time along with the Australian Guineas two weeks later.
Dwyer left the tactics to jockey Michelle Payne and the rider was content to sit wide on the gelding and trust he would be too good for his rivals, rather than going right back and give away too big of a start.
The trainer says Lucky Liberty has more natural ability than Queensland Derby winner Sonntag, which he also trains.
david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au