Soul Of Spain could have Group One targets in mind after prevailing in Friday’s Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2350m).
The progressive stayer gave trainer Chris Waller a remarkable seventh win in 11 years in the race, just one shy of hall of fame trainer Gai Waterhouse who has eight.
The $2.45 favourite settled behind the speed for jockey Zac Lloyd and drove hard along the inside to score by half a length from Royal Supremacy ($3.90) with another Waller runner Travolta ($3.40) just a neck back in third.
Stable representative for the Waller yard Zane Jones said Soul Of Spain continues to improve having been successful at Ipswich and Doomben this time in.
“Every time Chris raises the bar, he just seems to jump through it,” Jones said.
“He’s got plenty of upside, he’s lightly raced, he’s continuing to build a good record.
“It was a run full of merit the other day, and we were under no illusions that it was a harder assignment today, but he’s passed with flying colours.”
With the win, Soul Of Spain is into $6 equal favourite for the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) on October 4th.
Lloyd said Soul Of Spain had proven his adaptability in various scenarios which would hold him in good stead.
“He’s a pleasure to ride,” Lloyd said.
“With such a slow tempo, I thought it could favour the other runners in the race but he quickened very well and never felt like getting beat.”
Also on the card was the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) with the winner gaining a ballot free exemption to the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) on October 4th.
The Joseph Pride trained Headley Grange ($6) continued his fantastic association with jockey Adam Hyeronimus with the pair notching up their fifth win from six starts together, breaking the track record in the process with a slick time of 1.28.32.
“I thought if he had a weakness it was going to be firm tracks but he’s put that to bed,” Pride said.
“We got deep into the Winter with him, I wanted to give him a freshen up to get into the Big Dance at some point, he’s got a nomination for the Epsom so we might go to the Big Dance via the Epsom.”
