All eyes will be on the resuming Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist when the former German stayer resumes from a spell in a trial next week ahead of an upcoming Australian Cup campaign.
Protectionist was a dominant winner in last year’s Melbourne Cup recording a four-length victory in Australia’s famous staying race. Fortunately enough for Australian racing stocks connections of Protectionist decided to keep the horse in Australia.
Now trained by Newcastle-based Kris Lee, the most likely destination for the five-year-old will be in Melbourne with the main target the $1 million Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 14.
There hasn’t been any word yet on whether or not last year’s bridesmaid Red Cadeaux will make the trip Down Under for a maiden autumn campaign. It would be a massive coup for the race if Ed Dunlop and the connections of the English raider decided to head to Flemington.
For one we would get a mouth-watering re-match of last year’s Melbourne Cup quinella, and Red Cadeaux’s inclusion is sure to peak some interest with the nine-year-old becoming a crowd favourite after three second placings in four attempts in the Melbourne Cup.
Protectionist will have his first official trial of the season in Newcastle on Monday and will head into the Australian Cup first-up, before gracing Sydney with his presence at the revamped Championships.
“Protectionist will go the Melbourne run,” Australian Bloodstock co-director Jamie Lovett told Sky Sports Radio on Wednesday morning.
“We couldn’t be happier with him. He seems to have really acclimatised and so far so good. He’s down to trial next week.”
At The Championships Protectionist will be aimed at the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on March 28, and then we might get to see the horse’s incredible staying abilities in the $1.6 million Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 11.
Familiar names Signoff and Who Shot Thebarman are the current favourites to take out the Sydney Cup. Australian Bloodstock is also set to bring another import runner Down Under with Terrubi set to race in the country.
Now prepared by David Payne, the Dalakhani Stallion will need to make some sharp improvements after a dead last in the Group 1 Grosser Preis Von Baden (2413m) in Germany late last year.
He has, however, shown some quality by winning the Group 2 Prix Maurice De Nieuil (2800m) at Longchamp in France. Word is he is travelling well but not as well as Protectionist.
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