Fancy Red Returns to Bunbury Cup with New Jockey Partner
Fancy Red is set to make a highly anticipated return to the racetrack this Saturday, competing in the Listed $150,000 Swan Draught Bunbury Cup over 2000 meters. However, the mare will have a new jockey in the saddle, as both of her previous riders are unavailable for the event.
With William Pike, who has partnered with Fancy Red in 14 of her 15 career starts, out of town, and Holly Nottle, who guided her to a second-place finish two starts ago, unable to participate, the mount falls to Brad Parnham. This presents a premium opportunity for Parnham to showcase his skills on a horse with consistent recent form.
Recent Form and Key Rivalries
In her last start, Fancy Red, priced at $4.60 as the favourite, exacted revenge on Asif in a 1600-meter event at Ascot, thanks to a calculated ride from Pike. This victory followed a series of strong performances this preparation, marking her first attempt beyond a mile in this campaign, though she has experience over longer distances.
Back in July last year, Fancy Red, a daughter of Sessions, dominated the 2019-meter trip at Bunbury, winning the Belmont Oaks by a clear margin. Two weeks later, in the track's eponymous classic at Belmont, she came up just a length and a quarter short of Arcadia Park after looming at the 200-meter mark but failing to seize the initiative.
She will now renew hostilities with Arcadia Park, ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter and priced at $6. Arcadia Park enters this race fourth-up, having shown promise in the Detonator Stakes on February 21, where he finished third, beaten less than a length by Fear The Wind. Interestingly, in their last meeting, Arcadia Park carried 2 kilograms more than Fancy Red but will now bear 1 kilogram less, resulting in a three-kilogram swing in his favour.
Market Dynamics and Other Contenders
Fancy Red draws barrier three, while Arcadia Park has barrier 12. The market's second pick, Redback Flyer at $5, is positioned between them in barrier 10. Redback Flyer, a winner in two of four starts this racing stanza, battled fairly in the Detonator Stakes, finishing a length and a half behind Fear The Wind. He will carry only 54 kilograms with Chris Parnham aboard.
Steve Parnham will ride co-third fancy Fly With Caution at $6, who led in the Detonator but was overhauled late. Post-race, Parnham noted that positioning closer to the pace than expected may have dulled the horse's finishing effort.
Other notable entrants include Silver Eye at $8.50, who has shown form over shorter distances but made late gains in the Detonator, and Fat Roy Slim at $8.50, partnered again with Lucy Fiore. Jason Miller trains both Fat Roy Slim and Rocking Society at $12, the latter having come close to beating Fear The Wind in the Detonator and showing stamina from a prior Perth Cup effort over 2400 meters.
Despite winning the Detonator, Fear The Wind is rated at $26, considered the second-worst chance among horses from that lead-up race, with only Desennea at $81 given less hope.
Supporting Races and Jockey Movements
In the supporting Listed $150,000 TABtouch Bunbury Stakes over 1400 meters, Talkanco is the firm favourite at $2.80 under Chris Parnham. After initially considering an Eastern States campaign, trainers Dan and Ben Pearce opted to stay local, narrowly losing to London's Image in the Pinjarra Classic two weeks ago.
Other contenders in this race include Elite Missile at $5.50 and Bonjoy at $7.50, who returns after a trial. Brayden Gaerth rides Cool Memory at $16, while Neville Parnham trains Bustler at $31 and Demolish at $31, with Steve Parnham and Jason Brown taking the mounts, respectively.
Meanwhile, William Pike is absent from the Bunbury card, instead traveling to Flemington for the Group 1 $2 million All Star Mile. He will ride Watch Me Rock at $31, the outsider of the field, now trained by Mark Walker. Key rivals in that race include Pride Of Jenni at $4.20, Treasurethe Moment at $5, and Tom Kitten at $6, with top jockeys like Hugh Bowman and Mark Zahra also participating.
