Master Of Reality warms up for Cup bid with Listed romp
Master Of Reality (Frankel), second past the post in last year’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) before his demotion to fourth spot, warmed up for his latest attempt at the Flemington feature with an emphatic win in a Listed contest yesterday.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained five-year-old, who carries the colours of Lloyd Williams, pulled clear of his seven rivals as the 1-2 favourite to register a commanding three-and-a-half-length victory in the Her Majesty’s Plate (Listed, 1m 6f) on rain softened ground at Down Royal.
Held up in behind the leaders by Wayne Lordon, Master Of Reality was tracking the front runner at halfway and once hitting the front fully two furlongs out, he extended his advantage inside the final furlong to win easily.
Runner-up Barbados (Galileo), second behind another of the leading European Cup hopes Dashing Willoughby (Nathaniel) in the Queen’s Vase (Gr 2, 1m 6f) at Royal Ascot last year, was unable to make an impression on the winner, in turn finishing two and a quarter lengths in front of the third home, Rakan (Sea The Stars).
Master Of Reality was registering his first win since April of last year, having finished runner-up to another pair who could yet have a say on events at the Spring Carnival, Delphi (Galileo), a recent recruit to the Freedman Racing string, and stablemate Twilight Payment (Teofilo) on each of his last two starts.
“That was a lovely confidence booster for him,” assistant trainer Brendan Powell said after the race. “He ran very well behind Delphi at the Curragh last time and it is good to get that out of the way.
“I imagine he’ll be going into quarantine now and that will have done him the world of good.”
The manner of the victory clearly impressed the northern hemisphere bookmakers who now make Master Of Reality a general 25-1 chance for the Melbourne Cup. His odds for the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) remained unchanged at 33-1 and bigger.
O’Brien, who became the youngest ever person to train the winner of the Melbourne Cup when successful with Rekindling (High Chaparral) at the age of 24 in 2017, has a host of Carnival contenders this year. Along with his father Aidan, the pair are responsible for 16 of the 30 European-trained horses to hold nominations in the spring’s two major Cup contests.