MELBOURNE: Craig Williams says exciting 3-year-old Trusting will relish the 1600 metres of the A$1 million Caulfield Guineas, which will be his first test at the trip.
The Tale Of The Cat colt, a member of Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm team, staked his claim for today's Group One Guineas whenhe came from well back on the home turn to beat older horses in the Group Two weight-for-age Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 22.
That was only his third career start and he has looked good despite being beaten at his past two starts when running on strongly for seconds to Guineas favourite Denman in the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill and to Denman's stablemate Demerit in the Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield.
Williams rode Trusting for the first time in a race when he was beaten by a short half-head in the Guineas Prelude on September 19.
"One thing about him, he can crunch high gears and he can maintain that gallop," Williams said. "Him getting out to the mile (1600m), he's going to relish that."
Guineas success would cap a meteoric rise by Patinack Farm's new trainer John Thompson, who took over the big Warwick Farm-based team from Jason Coyle five weeks ago, with Trusting having had just the one run for him.
Thompson spent many years working for Bart Cummings, who will be out to win the Guineas for a sixth time with promising colt So You Think.
So You Think is the least experienced runner in the 11-horse field having had only three starts for two wins, his latest in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill on September 19.
The son of Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral will race in blinkers for the first time today.
David Hayes has a good opinion of his runner Extra Zero (A$15) and gives him some chance of causing an upset.
The Danzero colt failed by a short half-head to pick up Guineas rival Carrara when runner-up in the Group Two Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 25.
The Peter Snowden-trained Denman, chasing his seventh successive win, is at A$2.60 with TAB Sportsbet fixed odds ahead of Trusting (A$4.50), Manhattan Rain (A$6.50) with So You Think next best at A$8.50.
