Go Racing assembling strong Melbourne Cup contingent

Go Racing came just shy of taking out last Saturday’s Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m), and the New Zealand syndicator is already looking for redemption as they eye the biggest two-mile prize in world racing – the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in November.

Irish import Soul Of Spain (Phoenix Of Spain) carried their silks to within a quarter of a length of race victor Changingoftheguard (Galileo), and while disappointed not to take out the coveted staying feature, his performance has given Go Racing and trainer Chris Waller the confidence to plan a potentially lucrative spring campaign.

“It was massive,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt said. “The barrier draw (11) meant we got further back than we really wanted and the leader, and eventual winner, got some really cheap sectionals, but he sprinted well and a couple of strides past the line and he was in front. It was a super run, we were really proud of him.

“We got an update from Chris yesterday who said he is going to go out for a spell now and come back for a Caulfield and Melbourne Cup preparation, it is really exciting.”

Soul Of Spain has already shown a liking for spring racing, posting three consecutive wins last spring, including the Gr.3 Newcastle Cup (2300m), before placing in the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) and Gr.3 St Leger (2600m).

“He goes well at that time of year,” Allnutt said. “He was unlucky in the Metropolitan, he is unlucky not to have won a Group One. When you are at that level, you need everything to go your way to win those big races. He has been a bit unlucky but he has certainly got the talent to win one and hopefully it is later this year.”

Soul Of Spain is a product of Go Racing’s business plan of buying young horses in Europe, where they remain to race in their formative years before bringing them to the Southern Hemisphere if they show enough ability.

He was purchased by Go Racing, in partnership with Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock, out of Greenhills Farm’s 2023 Arqana Breeze Up Sale draft for €160,000.

He was subsequently entrusted to the care of Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien, for whom he won one and placed in five of his eight starts, and it was in Europe that his staying prowess was revealed, with Saturday’s performance sealing that initial assessment.

“We bought him out of Europe and he raced up in Ireland as a two and three-year-old for Joseph O’Brien and then came down to Australia,” Allnutt said. “That is what we do with a lot of our horses and that is a big focus of our business now, and it is something that has been very successful, and he is testament to that.

“He is a good horse and he has got such a good attitude. He won his maiden up in Ireland over 3300m, so we were confident he would get two miles on Saturday and the fact that he did gives us real confidence heading into the big races in the spring.”

While Soul Of Spain is earmarked for the Melbourne Cup, he won’t be Go Racing’s only hope, with the syndicator eyeing the first Tuesday in November with a handful of other quality stayers.

“Potentially we could have up to six horses nominated for the Melbourne Cup,” Allnutt said. “You dare to dream in this game. You put them in the best of company and hope that you get there and be competitive.”

Lisa Latta’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) victor and Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) runner-up Manzor Blue (NZ) (Almanzor) is one of those aspirants, with the daughter of Almanzor likely to do her early preparation in New Zealand before heading to Melbourne on a two-race mission.

“We are going to give her every opportunity to get there,” Allnutt said. “We are giving her a good spell now and then we will see if we can get her there.

“She will have three or four starts here and then go to the Geelong Cup (Gr.3, 2400m), and then hopefully into the Melbourne Cup from there.”

The remainder of their hopes will come from offshore, with three others from Australia, including Maison Louis (NZ) (Super Seth), Etna Rosso (Decorated Knight) and Tajanis (Australia), while the Joseph O’Brien-trained Omni Man (Invincible Spirit) will head south for a Cups campaign.

“Etna Rosso ran second in a Brisbane Cup (Gr.2, 3200m) over two miles, and he was extremely unlucky last campaign not to pick up a couple of wins, he finished second at Randwick by a nose,” Allnutt said. “He is a good, consistent stayer, and we know he gets the distance.

“We were always going to give Maison Louis a short campaign after he won the Queensland Derby (Gr.1, 2400m), it was only ever going to be three to four runs, and we weren’t too disappointed with what he did.

“He is back in work now, he is almost ready to head back to the races. We are pretty confident that he has got a good campaign in front of him. He is obviously a quality galloper, based on what he did as a three-year-old.

“We will also give Tajanis every chance to get to the Melbourne Cup.”

One of Go Racing’s more interesting Melbourne Cup hopefuls is Omni Man, who is on a path towards Royal Ascot, where he will be met by an army of his owners.

“He is racing this week up in Ireland,” Allnutt said. “He will go to Royal Ascot, which we will be in attendance for, and then he will come down for the Caulfield Cup and then maybe the Melbourne Cup from there.

“We have had runners at Royal Ascot for the last three years. We are getting more and more owners coming up with us. It is one of the best carnivals in the world and it is great to be able to offer people that sort of experience.”

While excited about their prospects in the months ahead, Go Racing will bid to add to their stakes tally this weekend when the Stephen Marsh-trained pair of So Fear (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Miss Janet (Home Affairs) contest the Listed SkyCity Star Way Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.

“So Fear is an Ardrossan filly who has had two starts for two wins,” Allnutt said. “She is a bombproof two-year-old who has got such a great attitude and does everything right and has got the ability to go with it.

“We have got Miss Janet in the same race. She has had one start for a third. She missed the start but did extremely well to finish third.”