YOUNG Victorian trainer Correy Grenfell and his superstar sprinter Orson Allen are poised to combine for an overdue Group 1 celebration in Saturday night’s Sky Racing Perth Cup (520m) at Cannington.
Grenfell, 25, is optimistic it will be a case of fourth time lucky for Orson Allen, after he’s finished runner-up at two of his three previous appearances at Group 1 level, in the Temlee and Maturity Classic.
“Before Orson Allen had his first start I said that if I can’t win a Group 1 with this dog I don’t know if I’ll ever win one,” said Grenfell.
“He’s been attacking Group races since his eighth or ninth start.
“With Orson Allen and Dyna Chancer we’ve probably been in 20 Group races but haven’t been able to win a Group 1 yet.
“It’s what every trainer aims for and it would be great to finally get the monkey off the back.”
Following a record-breaking victory in the Group 2 Horsham Cup, Orson Allen ventured to Perth for last weekend’s Cup heats and Grenfell breathed a huge sigh of relief when he finally reproduced his brilliant Victorian form at an interstate venue.
Orson Allen clocked 29.32sec, just outside Quick Jagger’s 29.29sec course record, with the second fastest qualifying performance coming from local Campini in 29.62sec.
After drawing box seven, Orson Allen is the $2.15 TAB favourite to claim the $150,000 winner’s purse, with another Victorian star, Andrea Dailly’s Australian Cup heroine Dyna Patty, at $5.50.
“It was actually a last minute decision to send Orson Allen to Perth because he hasn’t fired when he’s travelled interstate previously,” Grenfell admitted.
“I wasn’t sure whether to go to Perth or keep him fresh for the Golden Easter Egg, so it was a relief to see him travel so well. He’s just so consistent at box-rise now and he’s really grown up a lot in the last three months. He’s had to!
“On paper you’d say he hasn’t drawn well but Campini in box six crashes hard left and if Orson brings his ‘A’ game he could get a bit of cover and hopefully do his thing.”
While Orson Allen narrowly missed the Cannington 520m record last Saturday, champion stayer Tornado Tears obliterated the 715m benchmark in qualifying for the Group 1 Galaxy.
In a stunning 18-length romp, Tornado Tears ran 41.25sec, smashing the previous record of 41.66sec, and he’s a prohibitive $1.15 favourite with TAB to give Robert Britton back-to-back Galaxy titles after litter brother Rippin’ Sam was victorious in 2018.
