Indian Pacific out to become the latest Perth sprinter to roll the locals in Bob Hoysted Stakes at Flemington

Victorian punters could receive another reminder of the strength of the Perth form when Indian Pacific steps out in Saturday’s Listed Bob Hoysted Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

Celebrity Queen was the latest big-race winner to emerge from the west when she shared the spoils with Portland Sky in last Saturday’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.

The Neville Parnham-trained Indian Pacific finished a half-length from Celebrity Queen when the pair met in a Group 3 race at Ascot last November.

Indian Pacific struggled when the duo also clashed over 1200m in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes. But jockey Brad Parnham said the 1000m of Saturday’s Flemington assignment was Indian Pacific’s best distance.

“Dad (Neville) thought he might be a 1200m horse but I’ve always had the strong opinion that he could set a good tempo and finish off strong over 1000(m),” Parnham said.

Indian Pacific is a $5 chance to make a winning debut in Melbourne on Saturday in a market headed by another classy Perth sprinter, the $3.80 favourite Fabergino.

Fabergino has relished the Flemington straight track in her Melbourne runs. Parnham expects Indian Pacific to have no trouble with the wide-open spaces of the course.

Perth Cup winner Neufbosc will be in action at Saturday’s Flemington meeting. Photo : AAP Image/Michael Dodge.Source:AAP

“The straight is always a question mark but I think he’ll handle it because he’s just a natural racehorse. He’s always been switched on,” Parnham said.

“When he’s at his best, he’s a pretty good horse so I’m expecting him to be very competitive.”

Indian Pacific is one of three rides for Parnham at the Flemington meeting, which will be the jockey’s first of a Victorian stint he expected to last a few weeks.

“It’s not like I was going to miss out on anything massive in Perth so I just thought I’d come over for something different for a while,” Parnham said.

Parnham will ride the first-up winner Platoon, also for his father, in the Group 3 Shaftesbury Stakes (1400m) and Perth Cup winner Neufbosc in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m).

While Neufbosc is likely to need more ground to show his best, Parnham expected Platoon to measure up to Group 3 level on Saturday.

“He’s definitely got a good bit of ability there and he’ll definitely hold his own in a class of race like that,” Parnham said.

Originally published asIndian Pacific to roar through Flemington

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