Melbourne Cup champion Dunaden is on the way to becoming one of the race’s greatest winners of modern times following his victory in Sunday’s $HK14 million Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin.
Showing all the heart, courage and class that carried him to success at Flemington a month ago, Dunaden dashed clear 100m from home to score by three-quarters of a length from the local galloper Thumbs Up.
Red Cadeaux who had gone down so narrowly to Dunaden in the Melbourne Cup, finished third in a dead-heat with Silver Pond, who, like the winner, is trained in France.
For winning rider Craig Williams, success in one of Hong Kong’s biggest races provided compensation for missing the Melbourne Cup ride through suspension and having to watch French jockey Christophe Lemaire take Australian racing’s most coveted prize .
But it didn’t quite make up for that devastating blow.
“I’m an Australian,” Williams said.
“Nothing makes up for missing out on the Melbourne Cup.”
Williams also paid tribute to trainer Mikel Delzangles and owner Sheikh Fahad al Thani for coming back to him with the winning ride.
“It gives me a great thrill that I can reward the people like Sheikh Fahad and Mikel Delzangles who have stood by me and supported me,” he said.
While Dunaden wasn’t the top choice of Hong Kong punters, his effort came as no surprise to his jockey.
“I was so confident after riding him in work on Tuesday,” he said.
“He was actually in better condition here than he was in Melbourne.”
As welcome as the victory was for the winning connections, it may well have cost Dunaden a chance at the second Melbourne Cup his owner and trainer had hoped for.
Dunaden carried 54.5kg in this year’s Cup and having won it and now been successful at weight-for-age in another Group One race he might well be weighted out of next year’s event.
But for now, Sheikh Fahad and Delzangles are firmly in favour of a return to Melbourne.
“Nothing is decided for the long term except that we want to go back to Australia,” Delzangles said.
“In the short term he is having a big holiday.”
Dunaden now deserves comparison to some of the most notable Melbourne Cup winners of recent times.
While Makybe Diva stands alone at the top of the list with her three wins, Dunaden must rank closely behind her.
Sheikh Fahad thanked Williams for a “super ride”, although the jockey admitted he thought he was in trouble on the home turn.
Dunaden showed surprising speed form the gates allowing Williams to position him perfectly in for the first 2000m.
But as the field bunched 400m out he found himself pocketed.
“I was very worried at that point but when the gap came this great horse just went for it,” he said.
“He stuck his head out picked himself up.
“He’s a champion, a real champion.”
AAP TURF
