Veranjee ready for hometown win

With a record of 14 career starts at his ‘home’ track, Cranbourne, for an impressive strike rate of six wins and six seconds it would only be fitting that Narre Warren trained six-year-old Veranjee reach a career zenith by winning the Decron Horse Care Cranbourne Pacing Cup for trainer Arthur Fullwood on Saturday November 28.
Veranjee was an impressive winner at harness racing’s headquarters at Tabcorp Park Melton in October prior to two luckless runs at his past two outings in the Maryborough Cup and Rothacker Medal Night Pace on Saturday night.
Both Fullwood, who is a sprightly octogenarian, and regular driver Greg Sugars will be hoping the advantage of familiarity will assist their gifted gelding in overcoming his recent run of misfortune to take out the $60,000 feature race.
If successful, the son of Artsplace and a winner of 16 races and over $120,000 in prizemoney will join an elite group of champions including Gammalite, Golden Reign (twice) and Tailamade Lombo to triumph in one of the most coveted Country Cups of the season.
The Cranbourne Cup is the sixth leg of the Choice Hotels Country Cup Carnival and with five separate winners from the first five contested Cups, victory at the Cranbourne racing complex could usher Veranjee or one of his rivals to the head of the rankings in the prestigious series.
Among those rivals could be two of Veranjee’s recent conquerors in Karlsruhe and Mister Grizzly, whilst the rejuvenated Victoria Derby winner Tanabi Bromac may also target the race.
The 45th running of the Decron Horse Care Cranbourne Cup will be the highlight of a bumper nine race program which also features the $30,000 Group 2 Majestic Son Cranbourne Trotters Cup.