Hunter syndicators Australian Bloodstock (AB) are looking for Sixties Groove to join their spring cups team with victory at Flemington on Saturday.
The Irish-bred Darren Weir-trained gelding was brought to Australia last year with the Melbourne spring in mind but his campaign was over before it began.
He returned with two fifths at Moonee Valley last month before a half-length second to stablemate Pacodali last week at Caulfield. He was the odds-on favourite to score his first Australian win in the VRC-CRV Cup Tour Trophy (2000m) on Saturday.
AB, who won the Melbourne Cup with Protectionist in 2014 and were fourth last year with Big Duke, have Caulfield Cup hopes for Sixties Groove.
“I really like him and I think he should win,” AB director Luke Murrell said. “He came out last year but he had a little setback, then we had to back off. He was then ready in February but the ground was too hard.
“He just hasn’t been ridden great this prep but we’ve got Craig Williams on and he wants to win the premiership, so he’ll be focused.
“I think he’s a Caulfield Cup type of horse, but he’d have to put these away.”
Murrell was looking for more spring additions but he already has Big Duke, fellow 2017 Cup runner Red Cardinal and Mr Garcia among “six to eight” hopefuls.
At Doomben, he believed the Kris Lees-trained Hallelujah Boy should win, while Princess Posh was a good each-way chance.
