Red Cadeaux remains on track for a second attempt at the Melbourne Cup despite a tired performance for third behind Fiorente and Joshua Tree at Newmarket.
The Princess of Wales’s Stakes was billed in some quarters as a Melbourne Cup trial with 2-1 favourite Harris Tweed leading until the last couple of furlongs (400m) before fading to fourth, and Red Cadeaux plugging on for third.
Red Cadeaux finished the closest of seconds to Dunaden in last year’s Cup and trainer Ed Dunlop said the race was still the target.
“It could have been one race too many and he has shown that ground that soft doesn’t suit him,” Dunlop said.
“He’ll now have a break before Australia.”
A winner of just a maiden from seven starts before the race, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Fiorente thrived in the soft ground to finish 2-3/4 lengths in front of Joshua Tree.
“He’s a horse I have always held in high esteem but had a couple of disappointments and I haven’t made any plans for him at all,” Stoute said.
