Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux has pleased his trainer Ed Dunlop despite being beaten on his return at Kempton.
Red Cadeaux finished 1-1/2 lengths second to to Godolphin’s promising Colour Vision in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes (3200m) with Frankie Dettori easing the winner down over the final stages.
“He’s been beaten by a progressive horse, but this was very much a prep-run for the Yorkshire Cup,” Dunlop said.
“All being well later in the year we’ll look to be going back to the Melbourne Cup but I wanted to get him out in the early part of the season.”
Red Cadeaux was beaten in a photo-finish to the 2011 Melbourne Cup by French horse Dunaden who is set to resume in Saturday’s Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.
Godolphin’s racing manager, Simon Crisford, said Colour Vision would be aimed at the Gold Cup at the Royal Ascot meeting.
“I can’t say we were expecting that because we thought he was a bit undercooked, but he clearly runs very well fresh,” he said.
“He’ll definitely be aimed for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and we will just have to decide whether he has one more run before then, perhaps in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown.”
