Cape Byron set to force Team Conners into Big Dance call

If Cape Byron is right in the finish at Wyong this weekend as trainers Marc & Mitchell Conners would expect, then it’ll force a choice on whether to target the Provincial-Midway Championships or attempt to get some Big Dance eligibility behind him.

It’s a decision that will have to be made after the Bronte Simpson Memorial Midway Handicap (1600m) as it’ll be Cape Byron’s 20th start and a win would be his fifth.

Those are the limits for eligibility for the rich Provincial-Midway Championships series but co-trainer Mitchell Conners said it’s a good problem to have.

“It’s something we’ve got to look at if he runs well,” Conners said. “We wouldn’t be scared at looking at some country cups coming up. Any of those races in four or five weeks. We’re not scared of travelling horses if we think they are a chance.

“There’s big money in the Provincial-Midway Championships and the Big and Little Dance so if you think you have a horse with a chance in those races you’ve got to look at them.”

Next month’s Bega Cup (1600m) at the Sapphire Coast is a Big Dance eligible race that could hold some appeal to the Conners camp.

The five-year-old was the training partnership’s first runner and winner together when he was successful at Hawkesbury in late September, and he’s since won again at that track.

He stepped up to Midway level at Rosehill a month ago and was narrowly outpointed by Missile Seeker in a 1500m contest.

“Nothing took him into the race, he got there too early and was waiting for something to go with him,” he said. “Once that horse went past him, he went to go again and was in front 5m after the post so it’s hard to be disappointed with a run like that.”