David Hayes has put the $1 million Australian Cup on the agenda for Americain after being named as the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner’s new trainer.
Owners Gerry and Val Ryan and Kevin and Colleen Bamford told Hayes on Tuesday he had been selected to take the reins from French trainer Alain De Royer Dupre.
Americain’s French handler Stephanie Nigge, who has looked after the champion stayer for the past two spring carnivals, will stay on with the seven-year-old and join the Hayes team.
Colleen Bamford said the owners chose Hayes on Nigge’s recommendation after she had visited various racing stables over the past two weeks.
“We are just trying to replicate the conditions that would suit the horse best,” Bamford said.
“David Hayes’ place basically came closest with the training facilities and stabling.”
Hayes said he was thrilled to get Americain and excited that Nigge was coming with the horse, adding that the timing could not be better for his recently completed complex at Euroa in central Victoria which until now was without a headline horse.
“It is fantastic,” Hayes said. “He is a high quality horse and the most exciting stayer around.
“I am really, really excited to get him and thrilled to get the opportunity.
“For me it is a great endorsement of the property and myself.
“I think the country environment will suit him.
The Hall Of Fame trainer said Nigge would play a vital role because she knows Americain so well.
“Stephanie has clearly been a key part of Americain’s success as she has an amazing connection with the horse,” Hayes said.
“She should be five and nought travelling the horse and it will be great to have her there to tell me all his idiosyncrasies.
“I won’t have to learn about the horse through trial and error so it will be a really, really big help.
Americain took Australia by storm last year winning the Geelong and Melbourne Cups.
He won this year’s Moonee Valley Cup before a luckless fourth to compatriot Dunaden in the 2011 Melbourne Cup.
He is being rested following his soft win in the weight-for-age Sandown Classic (2400m) on November 12.
Plans to run him in next month’s Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin were scrapped so Americain could recover and have a light autumn campaign in Australia.
Sydney’s Group One features, the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and The BMW (2400m) were flagged as targets but Hayes said the Group One Australian Cup in (2000m) at Flemington in March could be more suitable than the Ranvet.
“If Flemington can produce a dead track I think we would lean towards the Australian Cup,” Hayes said.
“I’d like to space his runs so he has three weeks in between and he is so good at Flemington.”
AAP TURF
