Newsmaker! Astro News powers home under Kevin Shea to win the Gr3 Cup Trial. Photo: Sporting Post
Charles Laird will run Astro News in the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m at the Super Saturday racemeeting at Greyville on Saturday and Kevin Shea has retained the ride.
The four-year-old Silvano gelding ended up one from last in the running in the Vodacom Durban July after being interfered with in the early stages and that effectively cost him any chance, so he did well to run on for a 4,75 length ninth.
Laird said that he was “very well” and had come out of the race “100%.”
However, he doesn’t have the easiest of draws, barrier eleven, and on official merit ratings is 2,5kg under sufferance with the two best weighted horses in the conditions event, Run For It and Bravura.
Astro News appears to have improved since joining Laird’s yard early this year and can’t be written off, although he doesn’t have a great record at this track.
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