David Payne modelled Ace High’s Melbourne Cup campaign on his successful Victoria Derby preparation 12 months ago and it couldn’t have gone more to plan so far.
The High Chapparal four-year-old won the Spring Champion Stakes at 2000m three weeks out from the Derby last year. This time it was the Hill Stakes at Randwick on Saturday with an authority that indicates there is more to come.
“He is a bigger and stronger horse this time and fully mature, and you see that in the way he races,” Payne said. “We have been building towards the cups.
Real deal: Ace High sprints strongly to win the Hill Stakes.
“He will be better at 2400m and there is improvement left there.
‘‘We go straight to the Caulfield Cup and then the Melbourne Cup.
Ace High put two lengths into It’s Somewhat and Egg Tart in the weigh-for-age group 2 and can’t be penalised for the cups.
It was a brilliant ride by Tye Angland, who read the play when Hugh Bowman on Who Shot Thebarman put the speed into the race at the midway point.
He was able to keep favourite Egg Tart boxed in and then was too sharp for his rivals in the straight.
“When he relaxes like that he has a sprint that not many can match over that trip,” Angland said.
Boom to bust
The Australian Turf Club are looking for a replacement for Nature Strip in its slot for The Everest after the boom sprinter went bust in the Moir Stakes won by Viddora at Moonee Valley on Friday.
The ATC and Nature Strip came to an argeement that the four-year-old couldn’t run after he led and faded in the short straight at the Valley to run eighth in the 1000m group 1.
Viddora looks the perfect replacement. She made it two group 1 sprints in the past 12 months after scoring a similar stunning win in the Winterbottom Stakes last year.
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell contacted the Max Whitby and Neil Werrett syndicate as well as the ATC on Saturday about their slots.
“We have talked to everyone and it is up to them to get a deal done. It is really out of our hands,” Kennewell said. “In my opinion, she is the best sprinting mare in Australia by a mile and she should be there.
“We were very confident going into the Moir and she will take some improvement off the run.”
Fade to grey
Chautauqua becomes the first horse to retire himself when he didn’t consent to jump from the barriers at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
The winner of six group 1s and more than $8 million in prizemoney decided that he no longer wanted to race and demonstrated it by standing still.
"This horse is probably the smartest horse I think I've ever had anything to do with," co-trainer Michael Hawkes said. “He is just very smart. It has been a fantastic ride, and it is what it is.”
Tommy Berry, who rode Chautuauqua in five of his group 1 victories, including his three TJ Smiths and Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong, knew something wasn’t right going to the barriers.
“He was never going to jump from the gates. I could feel that on the way to the barriers,” Berry said. “He was trotting around like a pony and I just couldn’t get him interested at all.
“I must admit, I was choked up as I took him down the straight in front of the crowd.”
Owner Rupert Legh announced Chautauqua was retired immediately after the failed trail.
Raiders grounded
Officials from Racing Victoria and the Melbourne Racing Club are clinging to the hope that the federal government will grant dispensation for a string of top-level European gallopers to run at Caulfield on October 13.
The gallopers, from the powerful Aidan O'Brien stable and several other leading European yards, were due to land in Melbourne around lunchtime on Saturday, which would have seen them installed at Werribee and ready to break quarantine as scheduled and run at Caulfield on Guineas day should their trainers wish.
But the horses have been stranded in the UAE after their transport plane cracked a windscreen, meaning they may not be cleared in time to take part on that day unless an exemption is granted.
Their attendants have stayed with them, and the horses are being monitored by vets.
Among those delayed are Coolmore's group 2 winner and Epsom Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher; Red Verdon, who is trained by Ed Dunlop and owned by Ronald Arculli, the same connections that raced three-time Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux; and Withhold, Roger Charlton’s lightly raced Northumberland Plate winner, who is strongly fancied for this year's Melbourne Cup.
A separate shipment of European gallopers travelling solo under the Godolphin banner arrived on time and were in their quarters at Werribee on Saturday.
WITH MICHAEL LYNCH
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