Matt Dunn will put the blinkers back on Cepheus as the import drops in distance for Saturday’s Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich.
But trainer Matt Dunn is confident the import, who could have been racing on a Cups campaign after arriving in Australia in 2021, will give Saturday’s sprint sizzle a mighty shake.
Dunn has put blinkers back on again to sharpen the six-year-old OTI-owned gelding up for a crack at the $200,000 Listed Eye Liner.
Cepheus was last seen finishing third in the Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) at Doomben on May 23 but Dunn said he will not step out beyond 1600m again in his career.
He thinks Cepheus will be there when the whips are cracking at the business end of the Eye Liner.
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Cepheus missed gaining a start in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap but the Eye Liner would be a decent consolation prize.
“We wanted to drop back in trip because he didn’t run out the 2000m of the Chairman’s – and I wanted to put blinkers back on his head too,” Dunn said.
“I had to take the blinkers off when we were trying to skip him up in trip, because he was pulling too hard in them, but that won’t matter at 1350m around Ipswich.
“He is going to race here and then in the South Grafton Cup to try to qualify him for The Big Dance in Sydney later in the year.
“I am not going to run him over any further than a mile anymore.
“He’s a winner over longer distances in Europe but his racing pattern has completely changed since he turned up in Australia.”
Trainer Matthew Dunn is confident Cepheus can give Saturday’s Eye Liner Stakes a mighty shake. Picture: AAP
Dunn insisted Cepheus, originally purchased for $600,000 by OTI with staying trips in mind, could be dynamic over the Eye Liner trip on Saturday.
“He can win this for sure, I’m actually keen on him on Saturday,” Dunn said.
“We wanted to get him into the Stradbroke field, but we missed out.
“I think he was unlucky not to get a Stradbroke start, if you are a Group 2 winner in Sydney you probably should be able to get a run.
“I’ve kept him really sharp for the Eye Liner.
“He ripped up over 600m with a mate at track work on Tuesday morning and he was really sharp.
“Hopefully he can put himself midfield and then let rip.”
Cepheus will carry 58.5kg in the Eye Liner and be ridden by Brodie Loy.
Loy will be going for back-to-back Eye Liner wins after scoring the race last year on Holyfield for Annabel Neasham.