SUGAR Dance has been one of the stars of the country racing scene in recent times but can Brett Thompson's runner become the first winner of The Panorama?
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The Hinchinbrook gelding comes to Bathurst off an encouraging fourth place in the Dubbo Cup and a dominant Mudgee Mug success.
His next task is the new 1,300 metre event at Tyers Park, designed to be country racing's lead up event to The Kosciuszko at Royal Randwick.
Sugar Dance will shoulder 63kgs for the race but he's no stranger to carrying heavy loads having carried more than 60 kilos in three of his past four starts.
Thompson dual nominated Sugar Dance for The Panorama and the Bathurst Cup but opted to take on the sprint.
"He goes better between the 1,200m to 1,400m. He's a big horse and I think he'll handle the weight," Thompson said.
"He's a big horse and he carries a lot of weight, and always has done. He's got the two kilos off him. We obviously wish he didn't have to carry so much but that's the way it is."
Such is life for the talented gelding who has taken eight wins from 26 starts
Thompson rates Handfast as one of the biggest threats to Sugar Dance's race.
However, despite being one of the higher benchmark nominations, the Richard Litt-trained runner is the first emergency in the event due to country trainer priority for acceptances.
"He'll be hard to beat if he gets in. He's the one who beat us at Musswellbrook," Thompson said.
"It's won a listed race and has finished second in a couple of listed races. He got in on the minimum at Musswellbrook but would have to carry the 60 kilos this time."
Sugar Dance had victory in his sights during the $100,000 Dubbo Cup but was chased down by Steamin' over the final 200m.
He drops back 300m from the mile for The Panorama and Thompson saw enough in that Dubbo performance to feel confident ahead of the Bathurst trip.
"It was a really good run. He was just unlucky that he went a bit too hard himself between the 900m and 500m. That's probably cost him where they ran over him towards the end," he said.
"The big weight tells more over the 1,600m but he a very tough and gutsy horse.
"He needs to go forward. Once he's there he's able to relax and breathe. If he can't do that then he won't be able to finish his race off. He always jumps super and he should get to the front."
Dean Mirfin's Press Box is the sole Bathurst-trained hope in the new event.
Press Box has been a star of the Bathurst stable since arriving from Sydney, storming to three straight wins and a Highway Handicap placing in four starts.
The Panorama rounds out a big day of racing at Tyers Park from 5.30pm.