Trainer Sir Michael Stoute has confirmed that the 2015 Melbourne Cup is on the agenda for talented stayer Snow Sky after he recorded a tough win in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup (2816m) at York on the weekend.
Snow Sky beat Brown Panther (pictured) to take out the 2015 Yorkshire Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Snow Sky was having his first race start since he finished seventh in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin in December last year, but he showed an impressive turn-of-foot in the final stages of the race to record the biggest win of his racing career from Brown Panther and Havana Beat in the Yorkshire Cup.
Stoute told the media after the race that he was very pleased with the performance of Snow Sky in the Yorkshire Cup and he revealed that owner Prince Khalid Abdullah had already given him permission to start planning a trip to Australia for the 2015 Melbourne Cup.
“Delighted with him, he was very courageous and dug deep,” Stoute said.
“I think one mile six furlongs is his limit, he’s an effective horse over mile and a half, he was second in the Voltigeur, won a Gordon Stakes and a Lingfield Derby trial.
“I think I’d like to finish up in Melbourne.
“The Prince (Khalid Abdullah, owner) approved of the Melbourne Cup plan in the spring and we’ll have to work it out.”
Racing Victoria’s International scout Leigh Jordon was delighted to hear that connections were eyeing the Melbourne Cup with Snow Sky and he told Racing.com that he had been in contact with Teddy Grimthorpe – the racing manager for Khalid Abdullah.
Jordon said that Grimthorpe confirmed that Snow Sky would now be set for the Melbourne Cup and Jordon added that Racing Victoria were very excited at the possibility of having the first ever Juddmonte-owned runner in the Melbourne Cup.
“Sir Michael Stoute was quoted in the media after the race that the whole plan now will be around aiming for the Melbourne Cup and I emailed Lord Teddy Grimthorpe, who’s the racing manager for Juddmonte, and he confirmed that that was the plan of attack,” Jordon said.
“We’ve never had a Juddmonte horse run at the Spring Racing Carnival before and Sir Michael Stoute hasn’t been here since Distinction ran in the Cup in 2005.
“Obviously there’s a fair way to go, but they’ve confirmed that’s the plan, which was good to hear.”
Stoute is chasing his first win in the Melbourne Cup after previously missing the placings with Distinction (19th in 2005 and sixth in 2004) and Daliapour (16th in 2002).
