Imported stayer Muir has claimed a career-high victory in the Group Two Adelaide Cup at Morphettville.
One of a group of European stayers purchased from Coolmore by Lloyd Williams, Muir was previously in the care of Aidan O’Brien in Ireland where he won three races.
Veteran jockey Darren Gauci was given the task of guiding Muir in Monday’s 3200m feature and took charge of the race from the outset.
He rated Muir ($21) perfectly in front and the gelding held off Saddler’s Story ($21) by a long neck with half a length to Macedonian ($4.20) third.
Williams was represented by his son and racing manager Nick who was thrilled to see the five-year-old win and flagged a possible start in next month’s Sydney Cup.
“It’s fantastic. We’ve put so much effort into these horses which we bought off Aidan O’Brien in Ireland,” Williams said.
“Isn’t it terrific for Darren Gauci. He gave him a magnificent ride.
“One of my earliest racing memories was seeing Darren Gauci riding winners as a 16 or 17 year-old apprentice.
“We’ll see how he pulls up before we look at a Sydney Cup. He’s had a pretty good preparation.”
Williams said much time and effort had gone into preparing the imported horses for Australian racing by trainer Robert Hickmott and the staff at Williams’ Macedon Lodge.
“The important thing is a bunch of people, all friends, who put their faith in us and took a share in these horses and came along for the ride and it’s great that we could actually pull off a Cup for them,” he said.
“It wasn’t ideal to go forward but I had a lot of faith in this horse.
“He ran third a week ago (in the Roy Higgins Quality over 2500m at Flemington) and Darren said ‘I couldn’t pull him up’.”
Mark Kavanagh gained some consolation for Cup favourite King Diamond’s fifth when Shrapnel took out the Group Two Yallambee Classic (1200m).
AAP TURF
