Melbourne Cup hopeful Fiorente will race exclusively in Melbourne this Spring with Gai Waterhouse gearing up the import’s program heading towards the first Tuesday in November.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Fiorente is gearing up for a Melbourne Spring campaign. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The former English stayer pleased Waterhouse with a solid hit out with stablemate Carlton House in between races at Randwick on Saturday and will head straight to Melbourne after one more barrier trial on Friday.
“I’m very happy with both horses, they are coming to hand beautifully, and they will trial again at Randwick on Friday over 1400m,” Waterhouse said.
“Then Fiorente goes down to Melbourne.
Sydney’s first lady of racing hasn’t cemented in a program for Fiorente but the Group 1 $350,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31 looks like a nice race leading into the Spring.
Waterhouse is hoping the well performed Fiorente could be her first Melbourne Cup winner following the five year olds slashing second to Green Moon in last year’s Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
The leading Randwick trainer was also runner-up with Nothin’ Leica Dane in 1995 following the three year olds win in the Victoria Derby.
Another trial will certainly see Fiorente arrive a very fit horse for his first up run in Melbourne after already showing off his talent with an impressive barrier trial win at Randwick on July 19.
Jockey Tommy Berry was aboard Fiorente on Saturday when he galloped with Carlton House and is keen to grab the lucrative Spring mount after partnering the stayer in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April at his only run in the Autumn.
“I rode him in the All Aged Stakes and I couldn’t believe his turn of foot. That was over 1400 metres so I can only imagine how much more explosive it’ll be over 3200 metres in the Melbourne Cup,” Berry said.
Waterhouse is not far off mapping out a Spring program for Her Majesty The Queen’s horse Carlton House who also impressed her with his workout on Saturday and will contact the Queen’s racing manager John Warren in the near future.
Carlton House has had one run for the Waterhouse stable since arriving in Australia but failed to flatter when thirteenth to Havana Rey in the Group 2 $175,000 Hyland Race Colours Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill in the Autumn.
But the five year old looks like he is on track for a better Spring with a close trial second to Fiorente on July 19 and an eye catching gallop at Randwick on Saturday.
Carlton House is a winner of three races back in England including a win at York at Group 2 level in the £150,000 Totesport Dante Stakes (1 mile, 2 ½ furlongs) in May 2011 when trained by Sir Michael Stoute.
