European import Grand Promenade is being set for an assault on the Warrnambool three-day carnival after a hard-fought win at Caulfield.
Like last week’s Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars, Grand Promenade is part-owned by Gerry Ryan and was purchased in the UK before making his racecourse debut.
Saturday’s outing in the Lamaro’s Hotel Grand Handicap Classic (2400m) was the four-year-old’s sixth, registering a fourth straight win.
Ridden by John Allen, Grand Promenade, the $2.80 favourite, fought back after being headed in the straight to win by a neck from Reflect The Stars ($6) with Clementina ($3.80) a long-head away third.
Co-trainer David Eustace, who trains the gelding in partnership with Ciaron Maher, said Grand Promenade was being prepared for the Warrnambool Cup.
“Full credit to the team, he’s been up a long time,” Eustace said.
“We’ve spaced his runs, he goes to the beach and comes back to gallop.
“The long-range plan for some time has been the Warrnambool Cup and he seems right on track.
“He likes Warrnambool, he’s won there, hehandles the cut in the ground and he’ll have one more run going into it.”
Eustace said it would be disappointing if the Warrnambool meeting at the start of May, which also features the Grand Annual Steeplechase, went ahead crowd free like Saturday’s Caulfield meeting.
“I don’t think Cheltenham could handle it without a crowd, but if Warrnambool has to I’m sure we can hole up in a hotel somewhere,” he said.
