From Favourite to Underdog: Cosmic Crusader's Path to Redemption
Top contender Cosmic Crusader is set for a high-stakes comeback this Saturday in the Group 3 $200,000 R J Peters Stakes (1500m) after suffering an unexpected defeat a fortnight ago. The five-year-old gelding, once the hot favourite for the upcoming Railway Stakes, now faces a must-win situation to secure his place in the prestigious $1.5 million event.
Reality Check Sparks Trainer's Reflection
Trainer Michael Grantham has described Cosmic Crusader's third-place finish in the Asian Beau Stakes as "a really good reality check" for everyone involved. Despite being backed down to $1.40 favouritism, the horse couldn't overcome Watch Me Rock, marking his first significant defeat in recent outings.
Grantham told TABradio he's actually grateful for the timing of the setback. "I'm glad it happened then. If we had've won that race and gone three weeks into the Railway, there are a lot more nerves," he explained. The trainer believes the defeat provided valuable perspective that might benefit their Railway Stakes campaign.
Fitness Issues Blamed for Asian Beau Performance
Grantham attributes the Asian Beau performance to insufficient conditioning rather than any underlying issues with the horse. "The work leading into that race was good but I reckon that 1100m straight trial just wasn't enough for him with five weeks between runs," he revealed.
The trainer noticed something was off during training sessions before the race. "The way he worked on the Wednesday, I automatically knew something was off with him. He blew up a little bit after that run and it wasn't him," Grantham said, describing the performance as "very, very below average" for the typically dominant horse.
Bouncing Back for Bob Peters
This weekend's race holds special significance as the R J Peters Stakes honours Cosmic Crusader's owner, prominent West Australian thoroughbred owner Bob Peters. The gelding has been installed as the $1.65 favourite for the event, showing that market confidence remains strong despite the recent setback.
Grantham reports that the horse has recovered well and is showing positive signs. "I looked after him for the first couple of days after the run and then he was bouncing around like an idiot," he said. "I'm pretty confident for Saturday that's he's going to be back to his best."
Success in the R J Peters would see Cosmic Crusader enter the November 22 Railway Stakes as a $4 market fancy, giving him another opportunity to prove why he was initially considered the horse to beat in Western Australia's richest mile race.
