International interest in the Sydney autumn carnival is growing with connections of dual Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux among those considering the option.
A $10 million cash injection from the NSW government has boosted prize money across the major races of the inaugural Championships run over two Saturdays at Randwick in April.
Red Cadeaux is in Hong Kong being prepared for his defence of Sunday’s Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin along with 2011 Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden, another possible visitor to Sydney.
Ed Dunlop, trainer of Red Cadeaux, said after trackwork on Friday the veteran globe trotter would have begin his 2014 campaign in either Sydney or Dubai.
Ian McKay, chief executive of The Championships, recently travelled to Japan where interest is also high.
“It is good news and we will be thrilled if Red Cadeaux and Dunaden come to Sydney,” McKay said.
“We will be following up with the connections in the near future.
“There are also two Japanese horses whose connections have expressed interest – Hana’s Goal who races on Saturday and Lelouch.”
Hana’s Goal would be aimed at the $600,000 Coolmore Classic and the $3 million Doncaster Mile while Lelouch would target the $1.5 million BMW and the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Japanese horses Delta Blues and Pop Rock ran the Melbourne Cup quinella in 2006 but quarantine protocols in place since the 2007 equine influenza outbreak have made it arduous for them to return.
There hasn’t been a Japanese Cup runner since Tokai Trick ran 12th in 2010.
Leading Hong Kong trainer John Moore told Sydney’s Sky Sports Radio he would also consider bringing horses to Sydney.
For the first year at least, visiting horses will spend their quarantine at the established Werribee centre in Victoria with Racing NSW scouting locations near Sydney.
