Eclair Mystic has kept his Australian Guineas hopes alive with a hard-fought win in the Listed Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield.
Trainer Robert Smerdon said the Stratum three-year-old would push on towards the Flemington feature on March 5 after scrambling home in a three-way finish from Spirited Eagle and Linked In in Wednesday’s 1200-metre sprint.
Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva and second placegetter Run For Levi finished seventh and sixth respectively in the Zeditave and were in a line across the track with Stutt Stakes winner Hollowlea who was eighth.
Eclair Mystic has won six of his eight starts, with his last run a gallant third to Ahdashim in the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day.
Smerdon paid tribute to the bravery of Eclair Mystic who shared the lead with Geelong debut winner Linked In before Chris Symons lifted him over the line to victory.
“He looked the winner turning for home but he didn’t have much to spare on the line,” Smerdon said of the half-neck victory.
“He’s a tough racehorse.”
Smerdon said Eclair Mystic deserved his chance to prove if he was up to the Australian Guineas (1600m) and was hopeful he would measure up as a past 1400-metre winner at Flemington.
“You have got to give him his chance,” Smerdon said.
Smerdon said Eclair Mystic’s next start would be the Group Three CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington which is a traditional Guineas lead-up.
“We know the track and 1400 metres are okay for him and we will just see if he can run a mile (1600m),” Smerdon said.
“He’s a pretty foolproof sort of horse who can take advantage of any situation and put himself in the right spot and tough it out.”
Symons said Eclair Mystic was happiest when he was allowed to bowl along up on the pace at his own tempo.
Trainer Peter Moody described the run of Anacheeva as “super”.
With the backmarkers all the way, Anacheeva finished strongly and was beaten just over two lengths.
“He made up six or seven lengths,” Moody said.
He said the colt would have his next run in the Hayes Stakes to familiarise himself with Flemington before the Guineas.
Stablemate Servant finished fourth in the Zeditave but Moody indicated that Anacheeva was still the better Guineas chance.
Servant will run in the Group Two Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 12.