Emma-Lee and David Browne will take one more shot at local glory with Statuario as they aim for a breakthrough win in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) on Saturday.
The New Zealand training partnership relocated to Victoria in April 2022, initially establishing themselves at Cranbourne before settling at Pakenham at the start of the 2023-24 season.
While winners have flowed steadily, a hometown Cup victory would mean plenty — and likely spark a lively celebration at the Garfield Hotel.
“It would be great to win the local Cup,” Emma-Lee Browne said.
“And I reckon the party at the Garfield pub would be wild.
“It’s nice to have runners on the day and being from the area, hopefully it’s a good day.”
The decision to continue Statuario’s campaign was made after the gelding came through his last-start third in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) in excellent order.
That run followed a luckless last-place finish in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m), where he was badly held up.
“It was one of those unfortunate races at Cranbourne where he couldn’t get out and there was little he could do about it,” Browne said.
“He was much better the other day, but he probably just cost himself late because of that Cranbourne run… he just peaked late.”
She added that Statuario’s recovery convinced them to roll the dice again. However, rain remains a concern.
“The horse is very well. We’re very happy with how he came through Ballarat, but we don’t want to see too much rain on Saturday, so we’re watching the weather quite close,” Browne said.
The wide draw will shape their tactics.
“We would have liked a slightly more economical draw, but it probably forces our hand to ride him quietly and I think that is sometimes when he’s at his best.”
Earlier this year, Statuario announced himself as a stayer on the rise with a win at Caulfield before finishing runner-up in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m).
The Brownes will also saddle Bifrost in the Shawn Mendis Lawyers Handicap (1000m) and Rhinoceros in the David Bourke Memorial (1600m).
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