Imported galloper Buckaroo looms as one of the key contenders for Saturday’s (30 March) G1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, as part of a spectacular day of simulcast racing in Hong Kong.
The five-year-old Fastnet Rock stallion, formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien, will be having his third run for Australia’s premier trainer Chris Waller, who has won the Tancred Stakes with Verry Elleegant (2020) and Preferment (2016).
Buckaroo ran well, with the day’s pattern of racing against him, when beaten just over a length into third place behind another highly regarded import Via Sistina – a Group 1 winner in Ireland and now also prepared by Waller – in last Saturday’s (23 March) G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
Four of the past ten Tancred Stakes winners have backed up from a top-four finish in the Ranvet Stakes and, significantly, each of the past ten winners has graduated from a top-four finish in races at 2000 metres.
Buckaroo is untried at Saturday’s distance of 2400m but he shapes like he will cope with the trip. His dam Roheryn, by Galileo, was a winner at 2400m and has produced three winners at 2400m and beyond.
“This horse (Buckaroo) has just continued to improve week by week since he joined the stable,” said Waller, who will also be represented by Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) winner More Felons.
James McDonald, chasing a fourth win in the race, will ride More Felons while Tommy Berry reclaims the mount on Buckaroo in the absence of Ryan Moore who was aboard last week.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Military Mission is the one other Tancred Stakes runner progressing from the Ranvet Stakes and while he was somewhat one-paced last week, he will find the rise in distance a plus with his past four wins having come at 2300m and 2400m.
Britain’s Post Impressionist, who won the G3 N E Manion Cup (2400m) on his Australian debut last Saturday, will be strongly fancied after connections opted to accept for Saturday’s Group 1 event.
Trainer William Haggas said: “We looked at it closely. His blood picture was good Tuesday morning and the horse seems to have come through last week’s run very well.”
Haggas has been the trailblazing and most successful international trainer in Sydney having previously enjoyed success there with Dubai Honour, Protagonist, Addeybb, Favorite Moon and Young Rascal.
Godolphin’s Tom Kitten is the lone three-year-old in the race, bidding to become the first of that age to win since Fiveandahalfstar in 2013.
