The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable is looking to secure a second spot in the Melbourne Cup if The Euphrates can triumph in the Geelong Cup.
A win in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) this Wednesday will grant the victor a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.
The Euphrates is currently positioned 29th in the Melbourne Cup ballot order, though several horses ahead of the imported stayer are not targeting the Cup.
Waterhouse indicated that The Euphrates was also accepted for the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, as a safeguard.
Having previously been part of the Aidan O’Brien stable, The Euphrates has raced only three times in Australia, winning the Kingstown Town Stakes at Randwick before finishing third in The Metropolitan (2400m) on October 3.
The gelding was the first emergency for last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup (2400m) but did not manage to secure a start.
Waterhouse expressed that she was ‘very disappointed’ to miss out on a run.
“I think he’s an exciting horse and I think he can win the race tomorrow and it’s a good race for him to go to, but we’ve also accepted in the Moonee Valley Cup,” Waterhouse said. “We want to get him in the Melbourne Cup, so we’ll have a look at both races, just as a precaution.”
Vauban is also listed among the Geelong Cup acceptances, and Waterhouse commented that Wednesday’s race is the ideal preparatory run for the Melbourne Cup.
The French-bred gelding is safely positioned at number 16 in the Melbourne Cup field based on the Order of Entry and will be aiming for success in his fourth Cup appearance.
Vauban competed in the Cup twice for Willie Mullins, finishing 14th and then 11th respectively, while last year he finished sixth for Waterhouse and Bott.
The gelding has not raced since May when he finished third in the Doomben Cup, but Waterhouse confirmed that Vauban is performing ‘super’.
“It gives him just under two weeks to run in that race tomorrow and then into the next race, the Melbourne Cup,” Waterhouse explained. “It’s a bit unusual, but I said to the owners I’ve had to call on all my training expertise to hopefully pull it off.”
Check out online bookmakers for the latest betting odds on the Geelong Cup.
