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Trainer Paul Perry Pleased To See Tatoosh Keep Stepping Up Ahead Of The Rosebud At Randwick

7th Aug 2015

The Sydney Morning Herald - by Chris Roots - Thursday 6 August, 2015

Tatoosh wasn't the sort of horse Paul Perry thought would get to a race like Saturday's Rosebud.

"He was always nice and a horse that was going to win his races," Perry offered. "But to get to a black-type race at Randwick, I wouldn't have thought that."

The son of Beneteau started this preparation by winning a maiden at Wyong before falling in at Tamworth, which is long way from the quality of races some of his rivals on Saturday have faced. However that was still to earn him a shot in town.

He came to Sydney and ran into subsequent impressive winners in Japonisme and King's Troop at Rosehill, where he was beaten 1-1/4 lengths before firing home from last to be a runner-up behind Let's Make It Rain at Canterbury on the final day of the season.

"The thing with him is that he just continues to progress. Every run he has coped with and got better from," Perry said.

"The form has stood up around him and that race at Rosehill, there was a fair gap back to fourth. The other two look fair horses.

"He is the sort of horse that is worth having a throw at the stumps with in something like this now. He has the race fitness on his side and he is strong and will be running on when it counts.

"If he can run well on Saturday he earns himself the right to keep going. But he could go for a break because he is only going to be stronger and there are more races for him later on."

Dan Beasley takes over from premier jockey Hugh Bowman – who is not riding at the weekend – on Tatoosh, which only has 54kg and will jump from the inside draw.

"He is on the limit, so Hughie probably wouldn't have been able to ride. He has given us good feedback on him and I'm sure Danny will make the most of the good draw," Perry said.

Tatoosh is an $8 chance in the Rosebud, where Rageese is a $2.80 favourite at Ladbrokes. Last-start winners Sebring Sun and Let's Make It Rain are well in commission at $4 and $7 respectively, while the Chris Waller-trained Vanbrugh is kept safe at $6.

Perry will also send staying mare Montrer Dame down from Newcastle to run in the last of the day at Randwick. He just wants to keep her ticking over.

"It is probably not her race given the conditions of it. She needs to have another race now and we are looking for a suitable race at mile-and-a-quarter against mares in the right grade for her," Perry said.