New Kenso track has Major appeal for Begg

Wednesday 20 November 2013, 4:34pm

An opportunity to race on a revamped Kensington track proved enough of a drawcard for Grahame Begg to head there on Saturday with his filly Pantheress.

Begg also nominated the three-year-old for an easier assignment at Hawkesbury on Friday but with the rain in Sydney earlier this week, he has opted to take her to Randwick.

The eight-race program will be the first Saturday meeting staged on the Kensington track since it underwent reconstruction and Begg has nothing but praise for the surface.

"It's the best thing they've done at Randwick for a very long time track-wise," Begg said.

"It's in outstanding order. We used it on Tuesday and last Saturday a limited number were able to use it. It was after the big storm on the Friday night and you wouldn't have known horses had been on it."

Pantheress made late ground when a debut sixth over 1100m at Canterbury last month and wasn't disgraced at her only other start when she raced closer to the speed and fought on soundly for fourth over the same distance at Hawkesbury.

"She is better ridden quieter to give her a chance to find the line," Begg said.

Pantheress was a late nomination for Randwick after the 1300m race received only a handful of original entries.

However, those numbers subsequently bolstered and Pantheress will take on 11 rivals in Saturday's Sydney City Toyota Handicap.

Begg's other runner, the superbly bred Major Major, was also a late entry for the Myer Spring Fashion Handicap (2400m).

By Encosta De Lago out of star racemare Private Steer, Major Major will be tackling the trip for the first time and comes into the race off a last-start third over 2100m at Hawkesbury.

"The mile-and-a-half won't worry him," Begg said.

"He's very relaxed. Whether he's got the quality to win on a Saturday we'll see."

Begg's main concern for Major Major is the small spread in the weights.

Victorian Angola, who heads the handicaps with 58kg, finished fourth to subsequent Group Two winner Sertorius in the Listed Bendigo Cup two starts ago.

He will carry just 4kg more than Major Major, who is tackling Saturday grade for the first time and whose two career wins have come in provincial and midweek grade.

– AAP

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