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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 Fastest Time: 2:00.74 Uncle Bryn 23 Sep 2023 3yo+ Qlty SOT:G
AUD $200,000
2000m TURF GOOD 4
7
15:35
(local)
AUD $200,000
2000m GOOD 4

Catanach's Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup (G3)

WT: 54.0kg Type: Qlty Fastest Time: 2:00.74 Uncle Bryn 23 Sep 2023 3yo+ Qlty SOT:G
Tab
Form
Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
BP
Trainer
WT
1
211x5
QUE TEMPESTA (IRE) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - TIPPERARY BOUTIQUE (IRE)
MARK ZAHRA
4
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
59kg

Sales Information

2
85x05
JUST FINE (IRE) 6yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - BINT ALMATAR (USA)
JORDAN CHILDS
10
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
58.5kg

Sales Information

3
70x07
FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) 6yo G
FRANKEL (GB) - TROPHEE (FR)
JOAO MOREIRA
11
CHRIS WALLER
58kg

Sales Information

4
2x00x
LE DON DE VIE (GB) 8yo G
LEROIDESANIMAUX (BRZ) - LEADERENE (GB)
ETHAN BROWN
9
CIARON MAHER
58kg

Sales Information

5
62x87
BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) 7yo G
MONGOLIAN KHAN (AUS) - SIGNORINA (NZ)
DAMIAN LANE
15
MICHAEL MORONEY & GLEN THOMPSON
57.5kg

Sales Information

6
x07x0
PENNYWEKA (NZ) 5yo M
SATONO ALADDIN (JPN) - THREEPENCE (NZ)
MICHAEL DEE
13
CIARON MAHER
57.5kg

Sales Information

7
4015x
AMADE (IRE) 10yo G
CASAMENTO (IRE) - SHEBA FIVE (USA)
DANIEL STACKHOUSE
12
PHILLIP STOKES
57kg

Sales Information

8
x84x2
MURAMASA (AUS) 5yo G
DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - OMEI SWORD (AUS)
JOHN ALLEN
14
TRENT BUSUTTIN & NATALIE YOUNG
57kg

Sales Information

9
150x3
GEAR UP (IRE) 6yo G
TEOFILO (IRE) - GEARANAI (USA)
JAMIE MOTT
7
ANNABEL NEASHAM & ROB ARCHIBALD
56kg

Sales Information

10
8610x
FANCY MAN (IRE) 6yo G
PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) - FANCY (IRE)
TYLER SCHILLER
14
ANNABEL NEASHAM & ROB ARCHIBALD
55.5kg

Sales Information

11
656x3
FUTURE HISTORY (GB) 6yo G
SHOWCASING (GB) - LIKELIHOOD (USA)
DECLAN BATES
1
CIARON MAHER
55.5kg

Sales Information

12
300x8
OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) 6yo H
GALILEO (IRE) - AMICUS (AUS)
JYE MCNEIL
5
CIARON MAHER
55kg

Sales Information

13
211x9
THE MAP (AUS) 6yo M
ALPINE EAGLE (AUS) - THIS MOMENT (AUS)
CRAIG NEWITT
8
DAN CLARKEN & OOPY MACGILLIVRAY
54.5kg

Sales Information

14
291x2
POSITIVITY (NZ) 4yo M
ALMANZOR (FR) - PUSSY O'REILLY (NZ)
HARRY COFFEY
3
ANDREW FORSMAN
54kg

Sales Information

15
123x8
SAINT GEORGE (GB) 4yo H
ROARING LION (USA) - LADY DRAGON (IRE)
JAMIE KAH
2
CIARON MAHER
54kg

Sales Information

16
155x6
IMMEDIACY (NZ) 4yo G
TARZINO (NZ) - BUT BEAUTIFUL (IRE)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
6
TRENT BUSUTTIN & NATALIE YOUNG
54kg

Sales Information

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