Valiant King has raced his way into Melbourne Cup calculations with a strong staying performance in The Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington.
The Bart Cummings provides the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.
Valiant King ran in the Melbourne Cup last year, finishing 13th behind Knight’s Choice and the gelding has been given a different program leading into this year’s Spring Carnival.
After finishing last first-up over 1500m in Sydney, Valiant King was sent to Melbourne by trainer Chris Waller and was given a jump-out at Flemington in preparation for racing at Flemington on Saturday.
The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) was also considered before the Waller stable settled on The Bart Cummings and its ‘Golden Ticket’.
Ridden by Jye McNeil, Valiant King ($61) appreciated the fast pace in scoring by 2-¾ lengths from Torranzino ($71) with the $2.15 favourite Gilded Water a neck away third.
Gilded Water, with Jamie Kah aboard, carved out a solid tempo, and at one stage led by a conservative seven lengths, but could not withstand the finishing burst of the winner in the final 200m.
Charlie Duckworth, representing the Waller stable, said Valiant King appreciated the solid tempo but the stable had been unsure as to the gelding’s fitness ahead of Saturday.
“Fitness was our biggest concern which is why he held a nomination in the Turnbull as well as this,” Duckworth said.
“He was much better suited to this in terms of grade and also distance.
“We were really unlucky to miss the Sydney Cup in the autumn when he had a minor foot issue leading into it and we just thought he was primed and ready to go, but hey, it will be much better to win a Melbourne Cup than a Sydney Cup.”
McNeil thought his task of overhauling the leader Gilded Water looked unlikely when the field turned the corner for the 500m run home.
“I thought we had a big task ahead of us,” McNeil said.
“I was able to get in that three-wide line following Mark Zahra (on Berkshire Breeze), and you know when you find the back of a good jockey like that you’re going to be taken to the right places.
“Even when I straightened and he quickened so well, I still thought we were too far off the leader, but he reeled it in really well and it was great to be on him.”
Already a Melbourne Cup winning jockey, McNeil hopes he can maintain his association with Valiant King on the first Tuesday in November.
“He’ll run well anyway,” McNeil said.
“I’ve won that race once before, so you never know.”
