The Offer will head to the 2015 Melbourne Cup in winning form after he produced a strong staying performance in the 2015 Bendigo Cup this afternoon.
The Offer (pictured winning the Sydney Cup) returned to winning form in the 2015 Bendigo Cup this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart
The Offer was settled in a lovely position by jockey Michael Walker in the early stages of the Bendigo Cup and he travelled into the race beautifully just off the speed, while Thunder Set took up the running in the early stages of the race.
Matthew Cameron cut the corner on Maygrove into the straight and he took up the running, but The Offer was quick to respond and the duo cleared out from the rest of the field to fight out the finish, with The Offer proving too tough for his rival in the final stages of the race.
Gai Waterhouse said in the lead-up to the Bendigo Cup that she was keen to press on the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3 with The Offer and she confirmed after The Offer’s tough win that would be the case.
“Melbourne Cup, we will do it, his price has dropped already,” Waterhouse said.
“One of the biggest problems with winning the races is that you go up in the weight, but he did a grand job.”
Walker said that he was delighted to have the opportunity to ride in a big race for Racings first lady and he believes that The Offer emphasizes the toughness that is evident in all the horse prepared by the Waterhouse stable.
The Offer was forced to hold-off a brave Maygrove on a number of occasions in the final stages of the Bendigo Cup and Walker paid tribute to the heart that the Sydney Cup winner showed in the final
“Riding for Mrs. Waterhouse and her owners is a big privilege for me,” Walker said.
“I have ridden a bit of work for Gai and obviously on race day and she has always told me that her horses were fighters, when they get headed they kick again.
“It is a privilege to ride such a tough horse and he is probably as big a hearted horse that I have ridden.
“He had every chance to stop carrying the big weight and having to bring the field up to the leaders, but he didn’t.
“Last year he was early favourite for it, so he definitely has the ability to do it.”
The Offer is now into 2015 Melbourne Cup odds of $67 with Ladbrokes after being available at $101 before his Bendigo Cup victory.
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