A 2000m benchmark handicap at Caulfield may not be high on list of priorities for King Charles III as he entertains US President Donald Trump in the UK.
Discussions on global affairs have taken place between the pair, but should His Majesty find a quiet moment he may tune in to see how his potential Melbourne Cup hope Gilded Water performs at Caulfield.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Gilded Water runs in the final event on the Caulfield card on Saturday, the benchmark 84 Handicap (2000m).
Saturday’s contest is a long way from a start in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 and Maher concedes Gilded Water will need to start winning to have any chance of being a participant on Cup Day.
Gilded Water came to Australia last year and was successful at his first two starts at Kembla Grange and Randwick and after running second at Rosehill was tipped out for a break.
After two jump-outs at Cranbourne, Gilded Water made his return finishing third at Caulfield over 1800m on August 30.
“He was a very good run first-up off a very light prep and I’m looking forward to seeing him on Saturday,” Maher said.
“He’s going to have to sneak into the Cup through the back door, but he’s come through his first run really well, he’s grown up and improving all the time.
“The Caulfield Cup will probably come too quick for him but hopefully we can sneak him into the Melbourne Cup.”
Gilded Water will potentially need to win on Saturday to earn a boost in his rating in a bid to get into a Melbourne Cup qualifier like the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 4, the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 22 or the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on October 24.
A start in the Geelong Cup would get that town up and about as His Majesty attended Geelong Grammar in the 1960’s.
“He needs a couple of wins, but there’s a host of those races,” Maher said.
“He’s a pretty natural stayer and it will be a matter of getting him in the best way we can.
“Hopefully we’re talking about those races. He’s a progressive stayer but things have to go right to get there.”
