Talented colt Admiral could head to the 2015 Australian Guineas after he scored an upset win over The Cleaner in the 2015 George Adams Plate at Launceston this afternoon.
The Cleaner (pictured winning the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes) finished second behind Admiral in the 2015 George Adams Plate. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The Cleaner was slightly slow out of the gates, but he quickly moved up to take up his trademark position at the front of the field at the 1300 metre mark.
Jockey Steven Arnold was relatively conservative on The Cleaner throughout and the veteran gelding failed to break up the field, but was still able to open a small gap on his rivals coming into the straight.
The Cleaner looked to tire at the 200 metre mark, while Admiral was just starting to build up and the Tasmanian Guineas winner finished over the top of Tasmania’s most popular horse to take out the George Adams Plate.
Admiral was included in the first acceptances for the 2015 Australian Guineas that were released by Racing Victoria yesterday and trainer Barry Campbell confirmed that the Mossman gelding would likely make the trip to Melbourne for the Group 1 event at Flemington on March 7.
“The track beat him in Hobart (in the Thomas Lyons Stakes) and his record should be better than this, he has won nine from 12, but he should have won 11 from 12,” Campbell said after the race.
“We will just see how he pulls up, but if he pulls up well enough we will go to the Australian Guineas.”
Admiral made his racing debut with a win in a maiden at Hobart in October of 2013 and he has since stamped himself as one of the most exiting horses in Tasmania with wins in the Listed Elwick Stakes (1100m), Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes (1200m), Tasmanian Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and Listed Tasmania Guineas (1400m).
The Cleaner was having his first race start since he finished a disappointing ninth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 22 and he was chasing his second straight win in the George Adams Plate after he took out the race by two lengths in 2014.
The Savoire Vivre gelding was set to return to Melbourne for the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 14 and trainer Mick Burles is yet to confirm whether he will press on with his plans for the seven-year-old following his George Adams Plate defeat.
The Cleaner is currently available at 2015 Australian Cup odds of $17 with Ladbrokes, while Protectionist ($3.60) is a clear favourite from Contributer ($8), Happy Trails ($10) and Real Love ($13).
