English import Excess Knowledge is back in work with Gai Waterhouse as he prepares to run in his second Group 1 $6m Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
Excess Knowledge, above, is back in work for another Spring Carnival campaign. Photo by Steve Hart.
Waterhouse said on twitter that Excess Knowledge was back in work at Tulloch Lodge ahead of another tough Spring Carnival campaign.
“Melbourne Cup performer Excess Knowledge has returned to Tulloch Lodge in prep for another solid spring campaign,” Waterhouse tweeted.
Excess Knowledge earned a spot in the 2015 Melbourne Cup when he won the Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington and then went on to run seventh to outsider Prince Of Penzanace three days later in the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’.
Excess Knowledge began his career in England and won one race at Sandown before clients of Waterhouse brought him to Australia to race.
The Monsun stallion ran a first up second for Waterhouse when runner up in a 1400m BenchMark 90 Handicap at Randwick in May of 2014, and the master trainer then brought the import up through the classes to compete in Australia’s greatest race.
Along the way Excess Knowledge was able to win at Group level with a victory in the Group 3 $150,000 Hyland Race Colours Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Carnival as well as winning the Lexus Stakes.
As usual Waterhouse was very excited to qualify Excess Knowledge for last year’s Melbourne Cup and didn’t hide her feelings after he won the Lexus Stakes.
“I couldn’t train him any better, but in that final furlong I have never ridden a horse so had in my life – I’ll probably be pulled in front of the stewards,” Waterhouse said.
“He is such a good stayer and he is so well-weighted in this cup.”
Waterhouse will be searching for her second Melbourne Cup win after claiming the trophy with one of her other English import, Fiorente, in 2013.
Excess Knowledge has had only two runs since the Melbourne Cup for a second to It’s Somewhat in the Group 2 $175,000 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Carnival and then failed to fire when tenth to Leebaz in the Group 2 $358,000 All-New Jaguar F-Pace A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast during the Queensland Winter Carnival.
Excess Knowledge is the winner of five of his twenty-one starts and has earned just over $697,000.
