Lordhelpmerun set for WA Guineas after big Fairetha finish

Albany galloper Lordhelpmerun has firmed in betting for the $500,000 WA Guineas (1600m) on Saturday week after producing a cracking run in Saturday’s listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m).
The Steve Wolfe-trained gelding was listed as a $6.75 second favourite with Tabtouch yesterday after running second to The Velvet King in the three-year-old colts and gelding feature race at Ascot.
Ridden by Shaun McGruddy, Lordhelpmerun drifted into the back half of the field upon jumping before sliding up near the inside rail approaching the corner.
Lordhelpmerun produced a sizzling sprint home, running the final 600m in 35.26sec. to finish 1¼ lengths off the winner.
It was a pleasing run for the local stable after he failed second-up, finishing a disappointing 13th in the listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) last month.
Wolfe was ecstatic with the performance of his star three-year-old in his third run back this campaign as they eye the Group 2 WA Guineas on November 24.
“We got held up a bit (in running) but we were really happy with him,” Wolfe said.
“We found a couple of niggling things with him, perhaps that was some of the issue but it’s pretty nerve-racking when you’ve got a horse like that.
“You spend two weeks not knowing what to do, press on and hope he bounces back or send him to the paddock.
“He’s pulled up really good and I just hope all goes well from here, he is a genuine miler and he deserves to be right in it.”
Fellow local runner Zetorio for trainer Roy Rogers also produced an eye-catching run, charging from 13th on the turn to finish sixth beaten 3¾ lengths.
The Oratorio gelding ran the final 600m in 35.28sec. with Rogers set to nominate him for the listed Placid Arc Stakes (1200m) on the same day as the WA Guineas.
“It was the most settled he’s been and he got home fractionally slower than Lordhelpmerun so we were rapt,” Rogers said.
“Going forward we will nominate him for the Placid Arc, he’s in the Guineas field and we’ll just see if he can get a run and then a decent gate.
“I think he’s around 42nd in order of entry at the moment.”
As of last Friday, before the Fairetha Stakes, Zetorio was 55th in the order of entry for the WA Guineas but will rise after prize money earned on Saturday and Lordhelpmerun is all but guaranteed a start after being sixth last week before winning $20,000 for his second placing.
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