English trainer Ed Dunlop has had to endure another placing in a Group One race in Australia after Trip To Paris was beaten into second spot in the Caulfield Cup.
The Dunlop-trained Red Cadeaux has finished second in three Melbourne Cups and also in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick earlier this year and Trip To Paris has added to that record with a closing half-length second behind Mongolian Khan on Saturday.
Trip To Paris immediately had his priced slashed from $16 to $6 for the Melbourne Cup has he goes about improving on Red Cadeaux’s record.
Rider Tommy Berry immediately put his hand up to ride Trip To Paris, the Ascot Gold Cup winner, in the 3200m race at Flemington on November 3.
“He went awesome,” Berry told connections.
“He (the winner) just stole a bit of a march on us when he first went.
“I thought we were going to get him at the top of the straight and he’s got Melbourne Cup written all over him.
“If you want me to ride him, I’ll ride him.”
Robin Trevor-Jones who has played a major role in the preparation of Red Cadeaux on his previous five trips to Australia, could not hide his delight at the performance of Trip To Paris.
He said the whole campaign has gone to plan since the gelding, along with stablemates Red Cadeaux and Manndawi, arrived in Australia.
“It was a cracking run,” Trevor-Jones said.
“He’s had a trouble free preparation and he’s run a super race.
“He got a great ride, what more can I say.”
The Dunlop camp enters the Melbourne Cup with two strong chances with Trevor-Jones saying it would be unwise to write-off the 10-year-old Red Cadeaux.
“Always remember there’s a big chestnut standing in the next stall to him,” Trevor-Jones said.
“He’s still got to beat that one.”
