Francesco Guardi will not be winning the Melbourne Cup in 2022, but Chris Waller has already flagged his intention to target next year’s edition with Saturday’s dominant Moonee Valley Cup winner.
The son of Frankel atoned for a luckless run in $750,000 The Bart Cummings, when he almost fell in the middle stages before charging home to finish second to Lunar Flare, to power away from that mare under James Mcdonald in the $1 million Group 2.
Waller withdrew the Irish-bred gelding, who is a five-year-old by Australian time, from the Melbourne Cup entries along the nomination phase but hopes his turn will come next year.
“We thought he was a year away but I think in 12 months’ time it might be a different story,” Waller said.
“Winning races like today is one thing, the Melbourne Cup is a whole new level. We’ll regroup after today and have a good throw at the stumps next year.”
McDonald is one man happy Francesco Guardi is not among the Melbourne Cup entries, describing him as ‘more competition’ before learning he would not be heading that way.
The Hall of Famer-in-waiting gave Francesco Guardi ($3.30 fav) an economical run early from barrier one before extricating away from the inside at the 800m mark and taking control of the race 400m from home.
McDonald afforded himself a ‘fist pump’ crossing the line 3-3/4 lengths clear of Lunar Flare ($9), who turned in a solid Melbourne Cup trial to finish second, 2-3/4 lengths clear of Persan ($4.40).
“It was a smooth run in transit, he went to sleep on the fence and then it just happened to open up for me,” McDonald said.
“He’s got a brilliant turn-of-foot over the staying trip and he put them to the sword pretty quickly and he sustained it.
“I think he’s got a really bright future in terms of he’s only young and if it’s not this year, maybe next year.”
