Alcopop - Moudre

From HeraldSun.com.au
30/8/10

TRAINER Jake Stephens is likely to keep Alcopop in Adelaide for one more run after an encouraging return to racing in Saturday's Penny Edition Stakes.

Stephens was more than happy with Alcopop's first-up fifth behind Victorian Spacecraft, beaten just over three lengths, and is leaning towards the Sin City Cup (formerly the Tokyo City Cup) at Morphettville in a fortnight.

"He pulled up well this morning. We'll just see how he progresses over the next few days," Stephens said yesterday. "He'd put on a lot of weight over the past week or so, and I thought his run was pretty good having missed a crucial gallop.

"It was pleasing that he had a good run behind them. I didn't want him to have a gut-buster first-up."

Stephens said he would talk to connections this week before making a decision but the Listed 1600m feature loomed as a suitable secondup mission. "I'll talk to John and Pat (Kelton, owners). A lot of the Melbourne horses are very forward and he might be best suited by racing at the mile here and then heading over," he said.

Alcopop remains a $26 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup chance, with the big mover in markets coming from the Ciaron Maher-trained Moudre, who now heads betting for the Caulfield Cup at $10 with Shoot Out after his brilliant Caulfield win.

Connections have reportedly knocked back offers believed to be as high as $2m for the rising star who now has to win the Naturalism Stakes on September 18 to guarantee a Caulfield Cup start.