Successful owner-breeder Bruce Edward is banking on master trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin’s experience to win a second-straight Sportsbet Victoria Cup.
Last year’s champ Act Now could enter the $300,000 Grand Circuit classic first-up after a lengthy break, which has seen him away from the races since November 17, 2023.
“He is ready to go and hopefully he will get in (the Victoria Cup),“ Edward said. ”He has had a long time out and we have taken our time.
“We were in no hurry, we wanted to make sure we were right at the end of the year. We have given him a good break. He is fighting fit, there was no issues with him.”
The son of Mollys Ideal made his racetrack comeback via the Melton trials on September 17, producing a classy performance against a field comprising veteran pacer Bulletproof Boy and stablemate Beyond Delight.
“He trialed at Melton a couple of weeks ago and he went pretty good,” Edward said.
Edward concedes it might be too late for a lead-up run heading into the October 12 Victoria Cup.
“I think we might have run out of time; it is a couple of weeks to go, but I think he will be right,” he said.
Edward is putting his faith in the Stewart-Tonkin team to have the six-year-old at his best come race day.
“I am not too sure what Clayton (Tonkin) is going to do, but hopefully he gets there okay,” Edward said.
“It could be (a bit of a challenge), but then again Clayton gets them pretty fit.”
