Until the major lead-up races take place featuring the established home talent, it’s been all about looking overseas recently.
We’ve already seen how Ciaron Maher is importing some top candidates. Now, a good-looking Kiwi stayer could be added to the Melbourne Cup runners.
Kiwi Team Keeping the Dream Alive
We could be all set for another positive trans-Tasman journey with a top staying contender.
Trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray are responsible for six-year-old Mahrajaan and it seems the stayer is now heading directly for the Melbourne Cup.
Based in Cambridge, the training pair have tasted plenty of success already with this horse. Mahrajaan has proven to be a real staying specialist of late. He has won two of New Zealand’s top prizes.
After winning both the New Zealand Cup (Group 3) and the Auckland Cup (Group 2), he has proven himself twice over in top company and over the Melbourne Cup distance of 3200 metres.
Handicapper Offers Encouragement of a Run
Shaune Ritchie has spoken out to say he has been in touch with the handicapper in Victoria. Words of encouragement were clearly given. Apparently, the handicapper’s view is that in none of the last 10 Melbourne Cups, Mahrajaan would get into the race off his current rating.
On that score, the thing Mahrajaan’s team appears to be worried about is an inrush of horses from England. Interestingly, Ritchie also acknowledged that the lack of them of late seems to be because of sensitive veterinary examinations.
He also seems to believe it’s a good thing if they don’t come as it gives more Aussie and Kiwi horses the chance to run. That’s not the stance taken by the top horsemen in the USA or, indeed, in Europe.
Mahrajaan Team Not Thinking Internationally
We’re sure we’d all like to see the Melbourne Cup remain a major international event. The team behind Mahrajaan don’t appear to agree.
It seems that Shaune Ritchie is left with little choice but to aim his horse at the Melbourne Cup. He’s acknowledged that he has little choice.
The horse would now be “weighted out” of the New Zealand Cup and the Wellington Cup. That may also be the case with the Auckland Cup, leaving only Melbourne.
It appears then that they want to travel over with Mahrajaan in what they see as some sort of “home” fixture, but without any class horses from the northern hemisphere joining in the fun. The organisers, it seems, think very differently.
Lead-Up Isn’t Overly Crucial
We shouldn’t read too much into Mahrajaan’s prep. He will likely run in New Zealand again before heading over, but he really needs a distance.
Mahrajaan doesn’t really put in his best work until he gets to that magic two-mile mark. The Cup is perfect for him, but the lead-up races aren’t.
We may see him in the 2500m Moonee Valley Gold Cup, run on Saturday October 25 before heading to Flemington.
