Trainer John Moore has revealed that the 2015 Melbourne Cup is on the agenda for Hong Kong Vase hopeful Dominant after he runs in Australia during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Dominant has the chance to record back-to-back wins in the 2014 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Moore revealed last month that he was planning to send Dominant to Australia to run in both the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick a fortnight later, but he told Racing Ahead this morning that he expects Dominant to remain in Australia for the rest of his racing career and contest the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
“I have got the syndicates approval to take Dominant to Australia for the Sydney Cup and The BMW and then a short spell before the Melbourne Carnival,” Moore said.
“His future lies in Australia and I can’t see him coming back after he goes to Australia.
“It depends on Sundays run, but he is a mile and a horse run and he probably should have been in Australia this year for the Carnival.
“He is a deadset Melbourne Cup horse, so for that reason I will have him back in Australia in February at Canterbury I am told – if the government sign-off for Canterbury as the quarantine.”
Dominant is set to contest the Group 1 2014 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin on Saturday and he has the chance to join Luso (1996 and 1997) and Doctor Dino (2007 and 2008) as the only horses to have won the race in back-to-back years.
Moore admits that the lead-up form of Dominant has not been particularly impressive, but he is happy with the condition of the Cacique entire heading into the Group 1 event and remains hopeful that he can repeat his tough win from last year.
“Dominant has done very well leading into the race, but his prior runs have been lackluster and I think the reason for that is that the tracks have been so firm up here,” Moore said.
“In all the years that I have been here I have never seen the tracks so firm and for that reason they are not able to let down and they are going to run pretty indifferent sort of races.
“His work leading into the race has been very, very good and on Tuesday (Joao) Moreira reported to me that he couldn’t be any fitter.
“He has drawn well, we know he comes off the speed and he is going to go back into the last four like he did last time.
“We are not going to change riding tactics and hopefully with a bit of cushion in the track he will be able to repeat what happened last year.
“I am going into the race with a fit horse and hopefully history can repeat itself.”
Dominant is currently available at 2014 Hong Kong Vase odds of $8, while Flintshire ($2.60) remains a clear favourite from Red Cadeaux ($6) and Snow Sky ($7.50).
