New Zealanders, particularly Aeliana, and the Darren Beadman influence, can play a major role denying the invaders in Saturday’s majors, the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill Gardens and Flemington’s Australian Cup.
Stayers bred abroad have dominated the two weight-for-age events in recent years and again have a strong hand in the coming chapter as Dubai Honour with Newmarket (UK) being his home base, obviously a considerable hurdle for Aeliana in the Tancred.
Yes weight-for-age contests are battlegrounds for greats, more tactical than handicaps, Beadman figured, but Dubai Honour has the benefit of Tom Marquand, better than any of the other recent outside navigators to make guest appearances here.
Dubai Honour, from the William Haggas “yard”, the Prom expression for stable, won the corresponding event last year, being the sixth of the last eight bred abroad to take the 2400 metre staying test.
Down south the trend was greater with seven out of the last eight Australian Cups going to imports. The Eddie Cummings-prepared Duas, carrying the Aussie flag, was the only local to score in both.
However Aeliana continues the knack of Chris Waller with fillies and mares, also expected to play a role in the Australian Cup with Leica Lucy who takes on Birdman, from Ireland.
Birdman also responding to Waller’s technique promises to reach new heights in a strong chapter. Last year’s winner Light Infantry Man (France) is an outsider despite sound credentials, while Pride Of Jenni could dazzle if cuts loose.
Pride Of Jenni, contained of late, is best way out in front pushing the character of the Australian Cup.
Vo Rogue, for instance, running fast and free, took it in 1989-90. Maybe the Tancred has been more reserved. Both featured exceptionals: Saintly, Makybe Diva, Lonhro, and Octagonal, amongst others.
Enter Beadman whose champion attributes were emphasised in both. Riding Lonhro in the 2004 Australian Cup was a heart stopper. Lonhro downed outsider Dalzao by a nose after what looked an impossible task.
Beadman was also dynamic on Saintly and Octagonal, great stayers, but in the 2003 Tancred, Freemason, was hardly a world beater.
Freemason, at long odds, jousted with Cox Plate winner Northerly, a $1.45 hotpot. Beadman took Freemason to the front. In the straight it was a two-horse war with Beadman generating every skerrick out of his mount while Patrick Payne, no slouch when it came to saddle power aboard Northerly, applied maximum pressure. Again, Beadman prevailed.
While Beadman left his mark on horseback in both races he continued to be a force on ground level, first as a major contributor to Godolphin under James Cumming with Australian Cup triumphs with Cascadian, while Avilius was successful for the blue army in the Tancred.
Beadman is now applying his expertise to the Waller conglomerate. Waller still has five acceptors in the Tancred nine. Aeliana, with James McDonald, was the $1.65 favourite on Friday. Dubai Honour is superior to any of her recent rivals with the exception of Autumn Glow.
Despite his vintage, Dubai Honour, an eight-year-old, has been going well with recent assessment overseas by Best Bets as “has remained top class”.
Aeliana was inclined to tug a bit, didn’t settle well last Saturday, in a gallant triumph in the Ranvet over the 2000 metres. Maybe she’s just getting accustomed to the J-Mac touch.
Still I am enthusiastic with everything bar the odds about Aeliana, a $180,000 Karaka yearling in New Zealand for the astute syndicator Denise Martin, who will be out to extend the four-year-old’s return to over $4 million this week.
Vauban, a French import, at eight will not improve but has been tuned to be as good as ever in Australia Waterhouse-Bott partnership.
Still Birdman, only five, is ready to fly to a new peak.
Under Ben Melham, in recent Melbourne assignments over shorter journeys, Birdman has been very impressive and the 2000 metres looks ideal at this stage of his preparation.
While there is a strong local contingent, Waller’s New Zealand import Leica Lucy is the danger. The Waller skill in getting mares to a new height is a factor.
Untapped with only 13 races she was beaten under two lengths by Tom Kitten in the All-Star Mile at Flemington last start coming from behind on a savagely biased surface favouring those upfront.
Leica Lucy will be ridden by Damian Lane, no Beadman but he will do.
