It is rare indeed to see a Melbourne Cup winner and a Golden Slipper hero in action at a provincial meeting but that was the case at Seymour when Americain and Sepoy had exhibition gallops.
Ridden by Steven Arnold, 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain made his first public appearance for his new trainer David Hayes when he shaded stablemate Budai in an exhibition gallop prior to the first race at Thursday’s twilight meeting.
Kerrin McEvoy flew down from Sydney to ride Sepoy who went solo between the first and second races and “flew” up the straight in very impressive fashion.
“(I’m) very happy. He wasn’t out to run time but they said he broke 36 (seconds for the last 600m), 34.8 or something,” Hayes said of Americain.
“The thing I loved was how long it took him to pull up, he worked another 1000 metres after the line, not intentionally, but in a nice way he was just wanting to do more.
“I know the 2000 metres won’t worry him at all in (going first-up into) the Australian Cup.
“It’s a juggling act having him fresh enough so he can explode and having him fit enough.
“He’s never been out of work in his life, so after the Sandown Classic (win) and three runs in as many weeks including a Melbourne Cup (fourth) he’s got great residual fitness so I wouldn’t be worrying about him being underdone in the Australian Cup.”
Hayes said the seven-year-old entire was likely to have another gallop between races at the Moonee Valley night meeting on Friday week.
He said the $1 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 10 was Americain’s first-up run “providing Flemington can produce a dead four (track rating) which I’m sure they can”.
“The Australian Cup and then The BMW, that’s the preferred option,” he said.
The $2.25 million BMW (2400m) is run at Rosehill on April 7, four weeks after the Australian Cup.
Paul Snowden, Melbourne stable foreman for his father Peter, described Sepoy’s gallop as “outstanding”.
“He’s a really good trackworker and was actually having a good look around for him which is pleasing in a way because he was only half-concentrating on his work and he still had a little bit up his sleeve,” Snowden said.
“Kerrin was delighted with his work and so was I.”
The Elusive Quality colt is scheduled to resume in the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday week ahead of a trip to Dubai to contest the Golden Shaheen (1200m) on the synthetic tapeta surface at Meydan on World Cup night, March 31.
However Snowden said his father still had to talk to Darley before confirming an Oakleigh Plate start for Sepoy who will be asked to carry topweight of 58kg, 2.5kg above weight-for-age for a three-year-old.
“It’s all about Dubai and how he performs over there so there is a lot of talking to do in the next coupLe of days,” he said.
AAP TURF
