Esti Feny, coming off a commendable third-place finish in the Australian Cup Prelude (1800m) at remarkable odds of +4000, is poised to spring a surprise on his more esteemed competitors in Saturday's headline event at Flemington.
Trained by Matthew Smith, the Hungarian-bred import enters the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) as the rank outsider at +12500.
Despite the long odds, Smith remains optimistic about Esti Feny's chances, echoing the sentiment of potential upsets in prestigious contests.
Smith expressed his strategy, stating, “I had him in up in Sydney as well and I looked at both races and I thought at least there would be a solid tempo in Melbourne.
“There's only nine acceptors, and I thought we would try and beat one home and if we finish fifth there will be a little better prize.”
Highlighting the importance of race pace, Smith emphasized, “The quicker they go, the better his chance of being in the finish. He just needs a steady gallop.”
Acknowledging the formidable competition, Smith conceded uncertainty regarding Esti Feny's ability to outshine the higher-rated contenders but remains hopeful for a surprising performance.
“I don't know whether he's good enough to beat those better ones, but we're hoping he might be the shock of the Carnival.”