Written by Paul Vettise
Paul Preusker has his sights set on the main staying prize of the spring carnival, but his more immediate focus is on another piece of significant silverware with an emerging staying talent.
The Horsham conditioner has Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) safely in the next week’s G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup courtesy of the 5-year-old’s qualifying victory in the G3 Bart Cummings and stablemate Rupture (Street Boss {USA}) will face his toughest test on Wednesday.
He is in career best form and a hat-trick of lower grade wins has earned him a shot at black type in the G3 Jayco Bendigo Cup.
Preusker has reinvented himself since returning home from Richard Jolly’s stable at Morphettville where he won twice and predominantly raced over the shorter distances.
“He’s ticking along well and he’s turned from a good little sprinter into a decent stayer,” he said.
“He’s ticking along well and he’s turned from a good little sprinter into a decent stayer.” – Paul Preusker
“It was a bit unique really. I broke him in and gave him a prep and I thought he’d stay no dramas at all, but he went across to Adelaide he showed good sprint form for Jolly.
“He’s got ability and he’s got a turn of foot and he’s making it pay.”
Rupture is part-owned by breeder McLean Whittaker, who also raced his half-brother Schism (Reaan), the winner of eight races and runner-up in the G3 Dark Jewel Classic.
Rupture
“He’s been with me for a few years and he races a few in South Australia and with the bigger stables as well,” Preusker said.
Rupture is a son of Dara Seans (Giant’s Causeway {USA}), a half-sister to the G1 Caulfield Cup and G2 Makybe Diva S. winner Serious Speed (Southern Image {USA}). She also finished runner-up at Group 1 level in the Australian Cup, Orr S. and Underwood S.
Since returning to Preusker’s care, Rupture has won four of his seven starts, including a runaway 6l success at his latest appearance in the Hamilton Cup.
Cup hope thriving
Meanwhile, all is well with Rupture’s high-profile stablemate Surprise Baby as he continues his build-up to the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday.
“The countdown is on and he’s going along beautifully, really well,” Preusker said.
Surprise Baby (NZ)
Surprise Baby made rapid progress during his light summer and autumn preparation and off the back of three wins he claimed the G2 Adelaide Cup at his sixth appearance.
He made two starts in May and narrowly failed to gain a Melbourne Cup place when he was a close second to Steel Prince (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Listed Andrew Ramsden S.
Surprise Baby was then given a break and returned to run fourth in the G2 Feehan S. over a mile before he again showed his liking for well-spaced assignments with victory in the Bart Cummings a month later.
Preusker has followed that approach again in the lead-up to the Flemington feature, keeping it simple and just hoping for an uninterrupted run to give Surprise Baby his chance.
Jordan Childs, Paul Preusker and Surprise Baby (NZ)
“You can’t over complicate it and we just have to keep him ticking over,” he said. “We have to get through the traffic and hopefully he’ll be somewhere there.”
Surprise Baby was bred by Rich Hill Stud, home of his Melbourne Cup-winning sire Shocking, and after failed attempts to sell him at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and at the Ready to Run Sale he was bought off gavelhouse.com by John Fiteni and Kathy Stewart for NZ$5500.
Rich Hill studmaster John Thompson sees the situation as a glass half full one and the benefits another Melbourne Cup success, graduate Price Of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) triumphed in 2015, for the farm and the New Zealand breeding industry.
