Lightning Handicap hopeful Wasted Emotions is primed to atone for his flop in last year's Listed race.The seven-year-old is racing first-up in the 1100-metre feature at Randwick on Saturday.Wasted Emotions has won three of his five first-up starts and was finetuned for his return with a seven-length barrier trial win at Canberra on October 2.In last year's Lightning, Wasted Emotions beat only one runner home and was found to be lame after the race after bruising a heel on the firm track.The next
Lightning Handicap hopeful Wasted Emotions is primed to atone for his flop in last year's Listed race.
The seven-year-old is racing first-up in the 1100-metre feature at Randwick on Saturday.
Wasted Emotions has won three of his five first-up starts and was finetuned for his return with a seven-length barrier trial win at Canberra on October 2.
In last year's Lightning, Wasted Emotions beat only one runner home and was found to be lame after the race after bruising a heel on the firm track.
The next month he bounced back and won consecutive races at Rosehill.
Wasted Emotions has not raced since his third to Voice Commander in the Listed Weetwood Handicap (1300m) at Toowoomba in July.
One run earlier he was second to Battlefield in the Listed Ascot Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm after a second to News Alert in the Group Three Healy Stakes at the same venue.
Wasted Emotions was overhauled late in both races after setting the pace.
"Last campaign he held together longer than he normally does and I'm very happy with the way he's come up pretty well for this," trainer Danny Williams said.
That preparation started with the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Flemington where he only beat two runners home.
A couple of runs later he was second to Kroner in the Listed Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) before winning the Wagga Town Plate over the same distance in April.
The Randwick track was rated a dead four on Friday which is perfect for Wasted Emotions.
"He wants a bit of cushion out of the track these days, hopefully it stays that way for Saturday," Williams said.
Wasted Emotions has drawn barrier one and will be ridden by Tye Angland.
"He'll make good use of the inside alley," Williams said.
Williams said Wasted Emotions was a strong chance of running in Melbourne next month.
"We'll most probably go there and will probably target a second-tier race down the straight at Flemington," Williams said.
"We'll just get this race out of the way first and go from there."
TAB Sportsbet has Wasted Emotions as $5.50 second favourite behind Youthful Jack ($3.80) while Belong To Many is third pick at $7.
Meanwhile, four runners share favouritism for Saturday's Listed Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) with Macknuckle, Nothin' Leica Cat, Bid Spotter and Enzedex Eagle locked together at $5.50.
The Bernie Howlett-trained Macknuckle and Enzedex Eagle from the Chris Waller yard opened as the $5 favourites on Thursday.
Bid Spotter has remained solid at $5.50 while the big mover is the Anthony Cummings-trained Nothin' Leica Cat who opened at $7.50.
Macknuckle had three recent starts in Melbourne, running fourth to Speed Gifted at Flemington and most recently fourth again in the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley won by emerging stayer Alcopop.
Speed Gifted and Alcopop are currently the equal second favourites for the Melbourne Cup behind 2007 winner Efficient.