The Caulfield Cup is a new challenge for champion Victorian trainer Darren Weir with Japanese horse Admire Deus.
Weir will have a strong hand in Saturday’s $3 million handicap at Caulfield with Admire Deus to have his first Australian start while the trainer also has dual Group One winner Humidor.
He also hopes in-form mare Amelie’s Star can make the final field with acceptances taken on Tuesday.
Starting a horse over 2400 metres first-up is something new for Weir and weighs on his mind.
“All reports are good,” Weir said.
“I just can’t get first-up in a Caulfield Cup out of my head.
“It’s not the way I train, but they are the right horses to be able to do that. Their record says that they can do it.
“If you talk to Craig he reckons he’s in the right shape. So we’ve just got another week to go.”
Admire Deus finished quarantine at Werribee on Saturday morning and was taken to Caulfield where Craig Williams gave him a searching gallop with new stablemate Burning Front.
The Caulfield Cup will be the seven-year-old’s first start since running fourth in the Group One Tenno Sho – Spring (3200m) in Japan in late April.
Japanese horse Admire Rakti won the 2014 Caulfield Cup at his first start since the Tenno Sho.
Williams also rode Admire Deus in trackwork in Japan last month and has given him regular gallops at the Werribee quarantine centre.
He will be chasing his third Caulfield Cup after wins on Southern Speed (2011) and Dunaden (2012).
Admire Deus was bought by syndicators Australian Bloodstock, whose colours were prominent in Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday on other Weir-trained Japanese imports Tosen Stardom and Brave Smash.
Tosen Stardom won the Group One Toorak Handicap at Caulfield while Brave Smash was third in the $10 million The Everest at Randwick.
New Zealand mare Bonneval and the Weir-trained Humidor are the equal $6.50 favourites in Caulfield Cup betting.
