Racing: Cronus in fine fettle for tilt at Doomben

BRISBANE - He's approaching the veteran category and has raced only once in five months but those factors provide little concern for trainer Roger James as Cronus prepares for Saturday's $A500,000 Doomben Cup.

The group one feature will be just the second start for Cronus since finishing sixth in the Hong Kong Vase on December 13.

He resumed racing on a top note when second to Georgie Boy in the $A750,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in Sydney on May 6.

James said he could hardly have expected a better performance.

"First-up in group one company over a middle-distance - I thought it was an excellent run," said James.

The groundwork for the current preparation of Cronus was formed on trials races and James said that had been a deliberate move. He believes it is better avoiding preparatory races to build him up to his peak.

"I think you take the edge off him before you have him ready," James said.

"I don't think he enjoys the pressure of racing when he's not 100 per cent fit.

"At trials you can do as little or as much as you want and I believe his first three runs are his best three runs."

Cronus has been a top performer. Last year his wins included both the Chairman's Handicap at Doomben and the Prime Minister's Cup at the Gold Coast.

His best win is the 1997 Adelaide Cup and while it is three years since, James said the seven-year-old was not past his best.

"He's only had 34 starts (for 10 wins and eight seconds) and there's a lot of five-year-olds that would have had that many starts and more.

"He never raced until he was four and he had been pretty well looked after. He doesn't know he's seven."

James said everything had gone well for Cronus in this preparation but it was still difficult to be confident about winning Saturday's race.

"You never go into group one races confident. You go in hopeful and if you go in happy with your preparation that helps - and I'm happy."

Meanwhile, Woodville trainer Bruce Marsh has decided against running stable star Cheiron in the Doomben Cup. He will instead concentrate on the $A1 million Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on June 10.

Marsh had considered starting Cheiron in both the Doomben Cup and the Stradbroke but decided against the unusual double after Cheiron finished third to Shogun Lodge in the Hollindale Stakes at his first start beyond 1600m.

- NZPA