Massingham leans towards Bold Type in three-pronged attack

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Stephen Massingham has thrown punters a lead with his preference for Bold Type in his three-pronged attack in the Open Handicap at Cairns on Tuesday.

Massingham has half the field of six runners with Bold Type, Deluxe Rocker and Dunatun lining up in the 1250-metre sprint - and all three are in-form.

Bold Type has won two of his past four starts and is coming off a last start win when he downed the Janel Ryan-trained Space Time in the Bob Atkinson Memorial Bracelet over 1200 metres at Mt Garnett on April 30.

Former Sydney sprinter Deluxe Rocker hasn’t put a hoof wrong since moving to far north Queensland, winning three times and placed on another four occasions including a last start second to Supposedly Wicked at Mt Garnett last month.

Dunatun - another Sydney cast-off - has missed a place only once in eight starts for Massingham and was beaten just over four lengths last start by Best Hoffa over 1400 metres at Townsville last month.

“Bold Type is probably my best chance but I’m not selling the others short either,” Massingham said.

“He’s a nice horse but I haven’t set out any great plans for him just yet for the carnival up here.”

Massingham believes 1250 metres is as far as Deluge Rocker wants at this stage of his preparation.

“His last run to finish second at Mt Garnett in a Class 6 was very good but he’s still a Class 4 horse going to Open company,” he said.

“Dunaton had to chase last start when he ran second to Best Hoffa who looks a good Cups horse this winter.

“He’s dropping back to 1250 metres which will suit him better.”

Massingham made a hit-and-run visit to Brisbane last Saturday to watch his star sprinter The Harrovian finish third in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000.

Massingham won seven straight races with The Harrovian in the north before he was transferred to the Toby and Trent Edmonds stable at the Gold Coast, going on to win a further four on the trot.

He still has a 20% share in the seven-year-old who will head into the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm next month as one of the state’s best hopes.

“It was a very exciting day in Brisbane,” he said.

“I flew down there for the Doomben 10,000 hoping he could finish in the first five but to run third was outstanding.

“He had 58.5 kgs in the 10,000 and he’ll drop about six kilos in the Stradbroke.”