Commando Hunt has virtually ensured his place in the $2m The Big Dance field after an exciting hometown win in the Listed $200,000 Scone Cup (1600m) at Scone on Friday.
Before a bumper crowd of more than 6000 race fans, Commando Hunt scored a popular hometown win for Scone trainer Cameron Crockett.
The talented Commando Hunt also claimed the Muswellbrook Cup earlier this year which gives the horse two wins in Big Dance eligible races.
Those successes don’t necessarily guarantee Crockett’s gelding his place in 20-strong The Big Dance field later this year as the final field is determined by the benchmark ratings of eligible runners.
Commando Hunt went into the Scone Cup with an 89 rating but that will increase to the mid-90s at least following Friday’s win which should get him a start in The Big Dance.
A hometown victory! ????
The @sconeraceclub Cup is taken out by Commando Hunt with Jeff Penza in the saddle for @camcrockettrace. pic.twitter.com/0JSdI7Rgn8
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 12, 2023
“We gave this horse a fair bit of work the last couple of weeks, they gave us use of the course proper for every gallop and it has panned out perfectly – he’s off to The Big Dance now,” Crockett said.
There was only a half-length separating the top three placegetters as Commando Hunt ($19) finished strongly under jockey Jeff Penza to edge out the Kris Lee-trained duo of Luncies ($8.50) and Acquitted ($9).
Banjo, another Scone-trained galloper, was sent out the $3.70 favourite, but after racing on speed, he tired in the straight to finish only ninth.
Penza has ridden more than 2000 winners during his career and won many country cups but this was his first Scone Cup win.
“Commando Hunt was very tough today,” Penza said.
“Cameron said he was rock-hard fit and don’t be scared to use him so that is what I did. I let him rip at the top of the straight and he let down really well.”