Gai Waterhouse’s European imports Greatwood and Tres Blue will continue their Caulfield Cup build up with an exhibition gallop in between races at Randwick on Saturday.
Gai Waterhouse and Chris Munce celebrating the 2010 Caulfield Cup win of Descarado. Photo by Taron Clarke.
English import Greatwood and the French stayer Tres Blue are scheduled to gallop together following the running of the second race on the Group 2 Missile Stakes card.
Greatwood and Tres Blue are two of ten horses Waterhouse has entered for the Group 1 $3m Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 18 and the strong contingent will give the star Randwick trainer a good chance to claim the trophy for the second time after winning in 2010 with Descarado ridden by Chris Munce.
Waterhouse also has The Offer nominated and the Sydney Cup winner is high up in the market order for both the Caulfield Cup and the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.
Greatwood is by the German stallion Manduro and was purchased late last year when Waterhouse’s racing manager Adrian Bott joined up with UK based bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever to select the former Luca Cumani trained gelding.
“Greatwood is a gelding who is by the ever popular producer of star stayers, Manduro (GER),” Waterhouse’s Media and Communications Director Ric Chapman wrote on her website.
“He was bought from Luca Cumani, trainer of Melbourne Cup raider Mount Athos. Unlike many European stayers, he is a go forward type – perfect for the Waterhouse Way.”
Waterhouse has trialled Greatwood twice for two seconds over 1050m and 1250m at Randwick on July 18 and August 1.
While Tres Blue has only had the one barrier trial and finished behind Greatwood when fifth to stable mate Diamond Drille.
Waterhouse is expecting a better showing from Tres Blue this campaign after the French stayer has failed to fire in three Australian starts.
“Tres Blue took a while to acclimatize,” Waterhouse told Racing HQ.
“It’s interesting with the French horses. They are quite different to the English and Irish horses.”
“The English and Irish horses are mentally tougher and I think the French horses are a little more mentally fragile.”
“And I think they take longer to acclimatize. This horse certainly has but he has certainly acclimatized now and he is working super.”
At his first start for the Waterhouse stable Tres Blue could only beat two runners home when twenty-second in the 2013 Melbourne Cup behind the first lady of racing’s other European import Fiorente.
And he was also well beaten at two runs during the Sydney Autumn Carnival when thirteenth to Gordon Lord Byron in the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 29 and when tenth to Spillway in the Group 3 $150,000 Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 26.
In early Caulfield Cup betting with Ladbrokes.com.au, The Offer is sharing favouritism with Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance at $15 while Tres Blue at $41 and Greatwood at $51 are well down in the market order.
