True Detective Set For Sandown Cup Magic Show

TRUE Detective is maintaining slight favouritism with TAB ahead of Thursday night's Group 1 RSN Sandown Cup Final (715m) despite drawing precariously in box seven.

The all distance dynamo is currently $3.20 with the wagering giant after running his way into the $50,000 to-the-winner feature with a 4 ½ length 41.88 heat victory last Thursday for trainer Jeff Britton.

"It's a very even cup field; I would have been a lot more confident had he drawn inside," said Britton.

"From box seven the worry is that he gets caught wide going through that first corner and that could bring him unstuck. He'll need a lot of luck from out there, hopefully he can make his own out in front."

The stylishly bred son of Black Magic Opal and Little Grey is eyeing a third group 1 title on Thursday night, having previously annexed the Hume Cup (The Meadows) and Gold Cup (Albion Park) in trademark all-the-way fashion.

But his group race heroics don't stop there either, victorious in the Group 2 Summer Plate at Wentworth Park while also finishing a close up second to Here's Tears in the Group 1 Super Stayers at The Meadows in February.

Winner at 22 of his 38 race starts, True Detective posted career best Sandown figures when recording his smart all-the-way 41.88 heat victory over last year's Sandown Cup runner-up Ella Enchanted last Thursday.

Rockstar Beav set the pace with a 41.69 heat success, while Blazing Cartier recorded 41.93.  The final heat was won by Bronski Beat in 42.07.

"On last week's runs you'd have to say Rockstar Beav is the one to beat," Britton offered.

"He ran the quickest – 41.69 – and has box one in the final, but the rain did come after his race last Thursday so maybe that time was flattered a bit.

"Blazing Cartier is the other main chance; she goes a lot better at Sandown than she does at The Meadows and I was surprised she was the price she was the other night."

Giving an insight into the competitive nature of Thursday night's final, Rockstar Beav (box one) and Blazing Cartier (box two) share second favouritism at $3.50 behind True Detective while new kid on the block He Shall Power is an $8 chance.

Britton also reported that the below par performance from his pre-post Sandown Cup favourite Mister Harlewood had been put down to injury.

"He's torn a triangle muscle so he'll be off for at least 3-4 weeks," Britton informed.