Trainer Shea Eden has revealed that lightly-raced French stayer King Way has joined his stable and will arrive in Australia at the start of August to begin preparations for the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
Rising Melbourne trainer Shea Eden has acquired promising French stayer King Way. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
King Way was prepared by Mme Pia Brandt in France and produced a string of consistent performances in his five race starts before entering quarantine in Newmarket to prepare for his journey to Australia.
The three-year-old made his racing debut with a third place finish in the Prix Du Val Profond (1600m) at Chantilly on October 11 last year and finished second in the Prix Du Saussay (1600m) at the same venue at Chantilly a fortnight later.
After a stint in the spelling paddock, King Way returned to the races with a tight second in the Prix De Viroflay at Longchamp on April 24 and was second again in the Prix Du Pont Du Roi at Chantilly on May 16 before breaking through for a well-deserved maiden race win in the Royal Pal Marrakech at Longchamp on June 9.
Eden announced the acquisition of King Way on his website this morning and the rising trainer was clearly delighted to have the imported galloper as part of his stable and is hopeful that the progressive stayer is capable of developing into a contender for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
“I’m very happy to announce that French 3yo King Way has joined our stable this week and will commence the journey to Australia in the next month,” Eden said.
“Formerly trained at Chantilly by Madame Pia Brandt, King Way has had just five starts and has shown terrific promise in three runs as a 3yo this season.
“He comes to Australia off a modest handicap rating and hopefully has plenty of wins ahead of him here; I’m confident that he will be a Group class stayer in time and with a little luck, a future Cups contender.
“I am so excited to be able to bring a horse of this calibre into my stable, for a young trainer like me this is an incredible opportunity.
“King Way has left France for Newmarket in the UK and in the next fortnight I’ll head up to meet our new horse; I can’t wait to bring him home in August.”
Eden has scored 26 wins during the 2013/2014 racing season and went close to scoring his first win at Group level when Apollo’s Choice finished third behind Paximadia in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield at the end of last year.
