The 2013 Cox Plate and Caulfield Guineas results brought mixed emotions for New Zealand trainer Andrew Campbell.
Campbell trains Cauthen who beat subsequent Cox Plate winner Shamus Award and Guineas winner Long John in a Moonee Valley stakes race in August.
Things went pear-shaped at his next start and the rest of the colt’s Melbourne campaign was aborted.
“It was sweet and sour,” Campbell said.
“It would have been lovely to carry on with him, especially when he had beaten a couple of quality horses like that but it’s good to see the form stacked up behind him.
“He didn’t beat walkers or anything like that, and we know we’ve got a horse. It’s just a matter of time until he hits the track again and hopefully we can prove he’s a good horse.”
Cauthen is nominated for this year’s $3 million Cox Plate and Campbell is hoping to bring the four-year-old across the Tasman for another shot at spring riches.
After winning the Mitchell McKenzie Stakes – beating Shamus Award and Long John – Cauthen finished almost 10 lengths from Long John in the Henry Bucks Stakes at Flemington as favourite, and pulled up with the thumps.
A few days later it was confirmed his spring was over because of shin soreness.
His bad luck continued when he was found to have a stress fracture after he was narrowly beaten in a 1200m race at Trentham in January.
He has completely recovered but his spring preparation is being hampered by New Zealand’s rough winter weather.
“He’s up and ready to trial but the weather over here is terrible at the moment and they are canning trials and jumpouts,” Campbell said.
“Hopefully we’re going to get to trial at Waverley on Tuesday.”
If the trials are called off, Campbell hopes to be able to take Cauthen three hours away for a gallop at Foxton.
Cauthen is scheduled to return in a 1200m ratings race at Hastings on August 30 before attention turns to Melbourne.
“The dream is we’d love to get to the Cox Plate. But we’re just going to get the first race out of the way and make a decision then,” the trainer said.
“We’re over the moon with him. We’re just itching to get a trial into him and get him to the races.
“If he won fresh-up and won well, we’d be over there in a flash.”
