Tralee Rose put one hand on next month’s Group 2 Adelaide Cup trophy with an emphatic Lord Reims Stakes win at Morphettville on Saturday.
Widely considered as one of the most exciting stayers in Australia, it was an easy watch for connections as she powered away to beat Long Arm in the traditional Cup lead-up.
Trainer Symon Wilde has indicated that it will be the Adelaide Cup and then potentially a crack at the Sydney Cup before the stable aims up at her spring campaign, which would be geared around trying to gain a start in the Melbourne Cup.
It was second leg of a winning double for jockey Jason Holder, who Wilde is keen to retain as Tralee Rose’s rider for the Adelaide Cup on March 8. ‘Stubby’ shared riding honours on Saturday with Jessica Eaton and Todd Pannell.
Eaton and boss Michael Hickmott’s brilliant season continued with Lord Vladivostok and Unlaced both winning again, while Pannell was successful with Call Me Shamus and former European import Ironclad in the opening race.
Ironclad remains unbeaten in two starts in Australia for Will Clarken after he ended Ritratto’s unbeaten record over the mile. Ironclad’s best appears to still be in front of him, with his two European wins having come at 2000m.
And despite being beaten in Melbourne in the Futurity Stakes, it’s all systems go towards the All-Star Mile for Behemoth.
Trainer David Jolly said the horse was probably a victim of being in the wrong part of the track behind Probabeel and he is confident he’ll come in to his own at Moonee Valley over a mile in three weeks’ time.
Probabeel, and Futurity runner-up Arcadia Queen are now joint $4 favourites for the All-Star Mile with Behemoth now an $8 chance.
And fellow local Kemalpasa was again superb in Melbourne when he was narrowly beaten in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at big odds.
He’ll head back to a happy hunting ground at Flemington for the Newmarket and a clash with boom Sydney mare September Run, who dominates the market as a $2.50 favourite with Kemalpasa currently a $15 chance.
Image: Tralee Rose waltzes away with the Lord Reims Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday.
