The Anthony and Sam Freedman trained Steel Prince has outstayed his rivals to win a quality edition of the Group Three Geelong Cup on Wednesday.
Steel Prince jumped as the well backed $3.50 favourite with Sportsbet and he got the job done for backers wearing down the gallant Le Don De Vie in the concluding stages of the race.
Co-trainer Sam Freedman is hoping to get Steel Prince into the Melbourne Cup field with the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes a back-up race for the horse.
“They were both really good. Hopefully he’ll (Steel Prince) get a penalty to get into the Melbourne Cup and he wouldn’t shirk the task.
“They’re both nice horses. Credit to this horse, he’s incredible. He’s obviously been around a while and he keeps turning up and I said to Jye that if you’re right there at the top of the straight he’s a horse that loves a dog fight and he was too strong today.
“He loves a dog fight. He gets a bit lost when he goes clear of a field so when they come up along side him he really knuckles down. I knew that when he got near the lead he’d definitely be fighting it out. He’s right.” co-trainer Sam Freedman said
“Steel Prince has probably earnt himself another shot at it, the owners have been really patient with him. They haven’t pushed us to get him into the Melbourne Cup. We’ve looked after the horse first and we’ll see how he comes through it. That’ll be the plan at this stage.
Steel Prince was 35th in Order Of Entry for the Melbourne Cup and would need to be penalised 1kg to secure a spot in the 2020 Melbourne Cup when he is rehandicapped for the race.
Steel Prince ran seventh in the Geelong Cup last year before a ninth placed finish in the Melbourne Cup after securing a ballot exempt entry into the race by winning the Andrew Ramsden.
Bookmakers had Steel Prince as a $61 chance in Melbourne Cup betting prior to todays win.
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