Sunday, 17 August 2008:

Weekend Hussler remains favourite for the Cox Plate despite losing his first spring bout to Light Fantastic in the Liston Stakes.

The unbeaten Light Fantastic has had just five starts and has stepped up to a new level with each outing while fellow four-year-old Weekend Hussler is a veteran by comparison.

Weekend Hussler has had 12 starts for nine wins, six of them at Group One level. He is Australia's highest internationally ranked racehorse and a certainty to be named Horse of the Year in a couple of weeks.

However, after a week of high drama when a foot abscess threatened his participation in yesterday's group Two race at Caulfield, Weekend Hussler failed by three-quarters of a length to run down Light Fantastic with Maldivian a close third.

TAB Sportsbet kept Weekend Hussler at $4 for the Australasia's weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 ahead of Light Fantastic at $4.60.

Maldivian is now at $11 while Triple Honour, winner of yesterday's Premiere Stakes in Sydney, is a $21 chance.

Light Fantastic's owner Bob Scarborough is the chairman of the Moonee Valley Race Club and has raced many good horses over the years but says Light Fantastic is now the best.

"After the autumn I still thought Gold Ace was the best I had raced," Scarborough said on Sky Channel's Racing Retro.

"But looking at yesterday I'd have to say Light Fantastic is the best I've raced and Mick Price says he is the best he has trained.

"At the 650 metre mark he was off the bit and then he wobbled on the corner.

"But he just doesn't know how to lose a race.

"One of these days he'll get rolled and the Cox Plate is the goal.

"He ticked one box yesterday but there is still a long way to go."

Light Fantastic is by Danehill Dancer, the sire of international sprinter Choisir, and has won his five races from 1100 to the 1600 metres of the Group One Australian Guineas in March.