Speaker 1Tom Dabinick, good morning to you. Good morning. How's your morning been so far? How is this horse that we love, I'll Live Another Day, hitting into Sunday?
Speaker 2He's great. His first up run was excellent in winning at Caulfield and then he started short price favourite at Flemington and was a little bit disappointing, but it was his first time down the straight and he's a horse that's got very good soft track form. Flemington was a good three. And he was just a bit vulnerable in a straight line, not accelerating off a bend. So he was beaten 1.6 lengths, but it was an under pressure 1.6 lengths. And I think he'll be a lot more comfortable getting back to Caulfield where he's undefeated at this point. And he's drawn a good gate in five, which gives us options that he should get a nice smooth run.
Speaker 1And does that mean that we won't see him around or down a straight line? Down a straight again?
Speaker 2Probably not at this stage. I know Harry Coffey made some comments that he wouldn't be frightened of going back down the straight again. But I think, you know, there's only one straight track in Australia and so many other options of sprint races around the bend at this stage. I think competing at that better level, we're probably better playing to his strength at this stage.
Speaker 1Yeah. Okay. If he. Does, you know, improve and can win at Caulfield, you're going to be asked the question again. And I know that the owner has said that he wasn't interested entirely in the Tab Everest, but surely there's going to be a carrot dangled in front of you.
Speaker 2Yes. Well, we've sort of left it that we're just going to reassess the situation after Sunday and judge him on his performance and how he pulls up. We'd only consider it if we thought that the horse was. good enough to compete in a race like that. And I think Sunday will certainly answer a few questions for sure.
Speaker 1There was a bit of a rumour going around that you've been sounded out by a few slot holders. Is that true?
Speaker 2Yes. There was a couple of inquiries. So we sort of got back to them and just sort of said, look, if we can finalise or talk after Sunday. But at this stage, Andrew Harrison, the owner breeder, is not. not entirely in favour of going to the Everest. But I must admit that we've left it that we're going to see how he performs on Sunday and then make a decision, yeah.
Speaker 1Is there a reason why he's not? Is it purely the carrying rising factor?
Speaker 2That's definitely one of the factors. And he's a four-year-old that. I know that younger horses have had an OK record in the race, but he was a late starting horse. And. Um. He's still, in the scheme of things, lightly raced. So it's, you know. I'm sure it's not beyond him, but for a Melbourne horse, taking on the proven horses on the other leg and things, there's a few little challenges in that. And again, you know, he might be better equipped for a race like that in 12 months' time than he is now.
Speaker 1OK. It sounds, though, like. And I know that you've sort of put the caveat there of the time. of the time will be to his benefit. But it does sound like that if the green light was given to you, his performance is good on Sunday, green light given to you and the owner, you're very much in favour of it. You're backing the horse's ability.
Speaker 2I'm sure the horse has got the ability. And I'm sure carrying rising is probably scaring off a lot of the rivals in that most people probably think they're competing for, you know, second or third, fourth placings and things in the race. But I don't think you can base your decision around one horse. You know, as we all know, things can go wrong with horses. And carrying rising, while at this point looks unbeatable, you know, he's got to be at his best too. And again, so I think at this, at this stage, look, I would be thinking the Everest is unlikely, but we're certainly receptive to talking about it after Sunday and if he performs well enough.
Speaker 1And the last question from me on I Live Another Day is, he was down the straight exposed for a lot of that race. We have seen him, though, when he has had the opportunity to sort of sit behind and get a tiny bit of a smother. He's got this electric turn of foot, a little bit like the old man. Do you feel as though that is a possibility with him, to ride him, not with cover, but just with that sort of bit of patience and a smother and let him rip? Or does he just begin too brilliantly that you can't dictate where he is in the run?
Speaker 2From gate five, you would like the scenario that something comes across and sits outside the favourite in both ways. Do you think that that's going to be the case? And if that happened, we might get that fourth one-off position, which would be perfect. But again, we won't try and overcomplicate it. We'll just try and have our horse where he's comfortable and that will be, normally, if he steps cleanly, it would be in a handy position. But yes, ideally, you'd like to be in a slightly stalking role with something taking you into the race, I would think. I mean, this race, there's eight individual Group 1 winners in it and it's going to be his toughest test on paper. But there is talk that there's a little bit of rain forecast for Melbourne on Saturday. So if that came, that would help us as well. Probably help a few of the others, potentially. But our horse, definitely, I think, around a bend and softer surface, you will see him at his best.
Speaker 1Good to chat with you, Tom. I look forward to seeing how Sunday unfolds. That, of course, is at 4.45 Sunday, the Manicato at Caulfield, where I Live Another Day has drawn Gate 5 with Harry Coffey on board. And who knows? We might see you in Sydney. We might not. But eventually, I think, when we do see you in Sydney with this horse, he's going to be mighty hard to beat. Good on you. Thank you. Cheers, mate. There's Tom.
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