Audemars Piguet QEII Cup contenders star in Sydney and Dominant sixth in Sydney Cup

11/04/2015

Audemars Piguet QEII Cup aspirants Criterion and Red Cadeaux today quinellaed the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, in Sydney, while Hong Kong’s top stayer Dominant finished a creditable sixth, on unfamiliar soft ground, in the G1 Sydney Cup (3200m).

The Cup which attracted a top class field, chasing the A$1.6 million in prize money, was won by the Chris Waller-trained outsider Grand Marshal.

Dominant, ridden by Joao Moreira and racing at the distance for the first time, finished 8.3 lengths behind the winner who beat his stablemate Who Shot Thebarman by a nose. It was then six lengths to third placed Like A Carousel and Dominant, thus, was only 2.2 lengths behind the minor placegetter.

“Joao (Moreira) said he made his move early as he feared the horses in front of him were going to fall back into his lap,” said trainer John Moore. Dominant had settled midfield in the run but Moreira whipped around them 800 metres from home. Dominant looked a winning chance on turning for home but wilted.

However, Moore said that he would not necessarily conclude that the horse failed to stay the trip. “He had to sustain a very long run which was just beyond him today. He gave us a shout. I think if he had the right run, a good cushy trail and was held up for one run then he might be able to cope with the two miles (3200m),” Moore said.

Moore said that Dominant would return home to contest the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. “Then I would consider a return to Melbourne later in the year if the owners were happy to do so. Who knows, we might have a crack at the Melbourne Cup,” Moore said.

Former Hong Kong-based trainer David Hayes was naturally jubilant after Criterion won the A$4 million G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, by two and a half lengths from the evergreen Red Cadeaux, and is now looking forward to bringing last year’s Hong Kong Cup third back to Sha Tin.

“As long, of course, that he pulls up well from today and he’s fit and well then the return to Hong Kong is locked in,” Hayes said.

Red Cadeaux's trainer Ed Dunlop was on hand to see his remarkable nine-year-old chalk up yet another second placing in a major Group 1 race. “He was brave again and a touch unlucky. We have a couple of options with him but Hong Kong’s the most likely,” he said.

Kerrin McEvoy, who rode Red Cadeaux, concurred that he was unlucky despite the margin. “He ran superbly. If he gets out a touch sooner, with a clearer run then I think he would have given the winner a fright. I”m not saying he definitely would have won but he might have made it interesting,” McEvoy said.