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Cup ballot exemption up for grabs

3 minute read

The winner of the MRC Foundation Cup will get a ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup.

Trainer : CIARON MAHER.
Trainer : CIARON MAHER. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

A win in the MRC Foundation Cup for Saint George would be an important stepping stone for his future spring aspirations. 

Saint George runs in the Group 3 race over 2000m on Saturday needing to secure a win to then gain a ballot exemption for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19. 

The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper is entered in both the Caulfield Cup, and Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5, for which he has 50kg in both races. 

Saint George is yet to pass the first ballot clause into the Caulfield Cup while he sits at number 64 in the ballot order for the Melbourne Cup. 

Maher's assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Saint George had been purchased with the dream of winning the Melbourne Cup. 

Saint George will be lining up for just his eighth start on Saturday, and second in Australia. 

At his only Australian outing, Saint George finished eighth behind Rise At Dawn in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on August 31. 

"He didn't have a lot of luck at his first start, but we were very happy with the way he went to the line," Turnbull said. 

"His main aim and the reason he was purchased was for the Melbourne Cup, but first we have to qualify him, and the MRC Foundation Cup will be step forward in being able to do that." 

Turnbull said Saint George was a nimble galloper, very relaxed with a good action. 

"He's sensible, he's light on his feet. He's got a smooth and very big action and everyone that rides say what a nice ride he is," Turnbull said. 

"It's a trait Gold Trip had, Circle Of Fire has, and he's got in spades." 

Stablemate Okita Soushi will also line up in the MRC Foundation Cup, his second start for the Maher stable. 

Okita Soushi ran 11th in the Melbourne Cup last year for Joseph O'Brien before joining Maher. 

Turnbull said Okita Soushi was an out-and-out stayer. 

"He has amazing aerobic capacity," Turnbull said. 

"We do a lot of treadmill work with them, and you give them a pretty hard gallop. 

"A lot of our local horse lactate through the roof and have a slower recovery, but this bloke he will do it in one breath, walk off without raising a sweat." 

Also joining Saint George and Okita Soushi in the MRC Foundation Cup from the Maher stable will be Le Don De Vie, Pennyweka and Future History


Racing and Sports

Caulfield

Saturday, 21st September 2024

7
15:35
(local)

Catanach's Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup (G3)

WT: 54.0kg Type: Qlty
AUD $202,000
2000m TURF GOOD
7
15:35
(local)
AUD $202,000
2000m GOOD

Catanach's Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup (G3)

WT: 54.0kg Type: Qlty


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 14. POSITIVITY (NZ) 4yo M
ALMANZOR (FR) - PUSSY O'REILLY (NZ)
HARRY COFFEY
ANDREW FORSMAN
$16
54kg
C W Kwok

Sales Information

2nd 11. FUTURE HISTORY (GB) 6yo G
SHOWCASING (GB) - LIKELIHOOD (USA)
DECLAN BATES
CIARON MAHER
$17
55.5kg
P Trainor, M J Burns, B S David, A R E Investments, Parsons Creek, A P Carney, Mrs A Carney, Mrs T A Carney, Halo Racing Services Pty Ltd, Mrs J McKenna, R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd & Exset Racing

Sales Information

3rd 9. GEAR UP (IRE) 6yo G
TEOFILO (IRE) - GEARANAI (USA)
JAMIE MOTT
ANNABEL NEASHAM & ROB ARCHIBALD
$12
56kg
Teme Valley (Mgr: R Ryan), J F Webb, Trilogy (Mgr: Mrs M Stenning), A J Luciano, G J P Van Ameyden, Hon. G J Williamson & D Bowman

Sales Information

4th 15. SAINT GEORGE (GB) 4yo H
ROARING LION (USA) - LADY DRAGON (IRE)
JAMIE KAH
CIARON MAHER
$4.5
54kg

Sales Information

5th 10. FANCY MAN (IRE) 6yo G
PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) - FANCY (IRE)
TYLER SCHILLER
ANNABEL NEASHAM & ROB ARCHIBALD
$71
55.5kg

Sales Information

6th 1. QUE TEMPESTA (IRE) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - TIPPERARY BOUTIQUE (IRE)
MARK ZAHRA
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$6
59kg

Sales Information

7th 16. IMMEDIACY (NZ) 4yo G
TARZINO (NZ) - BUT BEAUTIFUL (IRE)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
TRENT BUSUTTIN & NATALIE YOUNG
$3.2
54kg

Sales Information

8th 4. LE DON DE VIE (GB) 8yo G
LEROIDESANIMAUX (BRZ) - LEADERENE (GB)
ETHAN BROWN
CIARON MAHER
$31
58kg

Sales Information

9th 3. FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) 6yo G
FRANKEL (GB) - TROPHEE (FR)
JOAO MOREIRA
CHRIS WALLER
$21
58kg

Sales Information

10th 2. JUST FINE (IRE) 6yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - BINT ALMATAR (USA)
JORDAN CHILDS
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$11
58.5kg

Sales Information

11th 13. THE MAP (AUS) 6yo M
ALPINE EAGLE (AUS) - THIS MOMENT (AUS)
CRAIG NEWITT
DAN CLARKEN & OOPY MACGILLIVRAY
$26
54.5kg

Sales Information

12th 5. BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) 7yo G
MONGOLIAN KHAN (AUS) - SIGNORINA (NZ)
DAMIAN LANE
MICHAEL MORONEY & GLEN THOMPSON
$14
57.5kg

Sales Information

13th 7. AMADE (IRE) 10yo G
CASAMENTO (IRE) - SHEBA FIVE (USA)
DANIEL STACKHOUSE
PHILLIP STOKES
$61
57kg

Sales Information

14th 12. OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) 6yo H
GALILEO (IRE) - AMICUS (AUS)
JYE MCNEIL
CIARON MAHER
$101
55kg

Sales Information

15th 6. PENNYWEKA (NZ) 5yo M
SATONO ALADDIN (JPN) - THREEPENCE (NZ)
MICHAEL DEE
CIARON MAHER
$101
57.5kg

Sales Information

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