The best chance Our Voodoo Prince has to win since he was among the early favourites for last year’s Caulfield Cup will also double as an audition for a new racing career.
Our Voodoo Prince holds a marginal call as favourite in the Stayers Cup, a 3200m race at Randwick on Saturday that will move the UK import a step closer to joining Victorian jumps trainer Eric Musgrove.
And while trainer Chris Waller is hardly brimming with enthusiasm about Our Voodoo Prince giving at least 4.5kg to his rivals and beating them, he likes what is in store beyond Randwick for the rising eight-year-old.
“He’ll make a great jumper,” Waller said.
“We’ve got a good record giving (flat horses) to Eric Musgrove. He does a fantastic job so I’d say he will end up with him.”
Thubiaan is the most recent success story for Musgrove with ex-Waller stayers after winning the Von Doussa Steeplechase, Brierly Steeplechase and the Australian Steeplechase at his past three starts over fences.
As the first foal from decorated northern hemisphere race mare Ouija Board and a half-brother to last year’s English Derby winner Australia, Our Voodoo Prince started his Australian career with a string of Melbourne wins.
They served some notice he might able to live up to his pedigree page after modest UK results.
“He won three in a row when he first got here and he looked like a winter favourite for the Caulfield Cup,” Waller said.
“There’s no doubt he’s been a little disappointing but one thing I will say is that he has been a very hard horse to keep fit because he just does too well.
“And the handicapper caught up with him pretty quickly and he’s paid for that since.”
Although Our Voodoo Prince’s Group Three Easter Cup win ranks as his only success at stakes level, a recent Sydney placing behind subsequent Doomben Cup winner Pornichet will ensure he goes into the Stayers Cup as a standout on overall form.
“It doesn’t look a strong race and his class will help him but I’m not over confident. He still needs to run two miles,” Waller said.
Our Voodoo Prince will be ridden by Josh Parr who also rides Avoid Lightning, favourite to win the June Stakes.
