Trip produces golden display in Turnbull
Gold Trip (Outstrip), the brilliant winner of last year’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), showed he was on track for a defence of his crown in the Flemington showpiece when he routed his rivals with a breathtaking display to win yesterday’s Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the Australian Bloodstock-raced entire had not saluted the judge since his victory in last year’s Melbourne Cup, but showed he had lost none of his sparkle.
Coming from near the back under Mark Zahra, Gold Strip produced a devastating burst of speed, storming up the centre of the track to put the race to bed in a matter of strides, eventually beating British raider West Wind Blows (Teofilo) by a length and three-quarters. The Chris Waller-trained Soulcombe (Frankel) finished a further quarter of a length away in third.
Hong Kong champion, Romantic Warrior (Acclamation), who was sent out the $2.45 favourite under James McDonald, finished fourth, just under four lengths from the winner.
It was Gold Trip’s second go in the Group 1, having finished fifth in the race 12 months ago, before going on to run second in the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and ninth in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m), precursors to his famous Melbourne Cup triumph.
Maher described yesterday as Gold Trips ‘best performance’ and said discussions would now get under way as to which path the six-year-old takes towards the Group 1 on the first Tuesday in November.
“If you can say that from a Melbourne Cup winner,” Maher said. “He was dynamic today and very impressive.
“That really gets you going doesn’t it! He put the writing on the wall with his run at The Valley and you just look at him in the yard, he looks amazing. The team has done an unbelievable job. The horse is pristine.”
Zahra said it was an unbelievable victory that had left him tingling.
“I can’t believe he won like that. What a win,” Zahra said.
“He’s such a lazy horse in the run. Ever since I’ve ridden him, I’ve just let him drop out and find his feet, which he really appreciates.
“When I asked him to pick up, a couple of times at the 1000 and the 800 he came up underneath me.
“I just needed a bit of room in the straight and when it presented at the top of the straight, the rest is history.”
Zahra suggested after defeating a number of Cox Plate contenders on Saturday, including Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior, that was the race he would be recommending to connections.
“The way he won why wouldn’t you go there?” Zahra said.
“I just love being on his back. If they’ve got any brains, then they’ll go to the Cox Plate (instead of the Caulfield Cup).
“It’ll all work out perfectly for everyone.”
Later on in the afternoon, Maher and Eustace enhanced their hand in this year’s Cup even further after Future History (Showcasing) led throughout in The Bart Cummings (Gr 3, 2520m) to claim a ballot exemption for the Flemington Group 1 on November 7.
Meanwhile, despite bookmakers reacting by lengthening his odds for the Moonee Valley showpiece later in the month, trainer Danny Shum is confident Romantic Warrior would improve ahead of his next assignment, which will be the Cox Plate.
“James [McDonald, jockey] said don’t panic,” Shum said. “The horse had a big blow and he got tired in the last 100 metres, so he didn’t give him a hard time.
“It’s exactly what we said, he’s not 100 per cent fit yet. This race will bring him spot on for the Cox Plate.”