Hunter Cup trip to be confirmed

ANOTHER trip south is on the cards for Expensive Ego.

With the A G Hunter Cup scheduled to be conducted at Tabcorp Park Melton on February 4, connections are considering targeting the Grand Circuit event with the Australian Pacing Gold purchase.

Speaking after the stallion’s success at Club Menangle last night, trainer Belinda McCarthy stated a Victorian raid will be decided after Expensive Ego races in a fortnight.

“We are yet to set any firm plans as far as the Hunter Cup is concerned,” McCarthy said. “There is another race for him at Menangle in a couple of weeks, so we’ll wait and see how he goes in that before a decision is made.

“Obviously the Hunter Cup is a prestigious race, but the Miracle Mile is not long after and that is the main aim with him.”

Driven by McCarthy’s husband, Luke, during his latest victory, Expensive Ego worked to the lead from eight as the field travelled in ‘Indian file”.

Proving too slick along the home straight, the son of Rock N Roll Heaven scored by two-and-a-half metres from Stylish Memphis.

Artillery, a stablemate of the winner, was six metres away third.

“Once he got to the front he was always going to be hard to run down,” McCarthy said. “Luke had to keep his mind on the job up the straight, but he got to the line well.”

Covering the mile in 1:49.2, Expensive Ego took his record to 24 wins and nine placings from 43 starts for earnings of $883,517.