Melbourne Cup hopeful Brown Panther will return to Goodwood at the end of July in search of back to back victories in the Group 2 £100,000 Artemis Goodwood Cup (2 miles).
Brown Panther is likely to contest the 2014 Melbourne Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Brown Panther finished second to French galloper Terrubi in the Group 2 €130,000 Prix Maurice De Nieuil (2800m) at Longchamp, France last weekend but trainer Tom Dascombe was philosophical about the short priced favourite‘s defeat.
“I think we were virtually upsides the winner turning in, and he just quickened up better than us,” Dascombe said.
“We’ve got no excuses. It’s a shame we got beat but he’ll go to Goodwood now.”
Regular rider Richard Kingscote said that he thought he had the winner covered when he started to make his run, but the Pascal Bary trained Terrubi had plenty left in the tank.
“When I first came upsides the winner I thought I was still going reasonably well, but he just had another gear,” Kingscote said.
Brown Panther beat Ahzeemah by three and a half lengths in the last year’s Goodwood Cup with that win convincing connections to run in the 2013 Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington during the Spring Carnival.
Another bold showing by Brown Panther will more than likely tempt connections to make a return trip to Melbourne for the running of the 2104 Melbourne Cup.
“The Melbourne Cup is an option, as we had a great experience there last year and it’s something we’ll have to sit down and discuss,” owner Michael Owen told At The Races.
Brown Panther with Kingscote in the saddle, ran seven and a quarter lengths eighth to the Gai Waterhouse trained Fiorente in last year’s Melbourne Cup and Owen is keen to have a another go at the famous two miler down under.
Brown Panther’s second placing at Longchamp followed a fourth to the Aidan O’Brian trained Leading Light in the Group 1 £350,000 The Gold Cup (2 mile 4 furlong) at Royal Ascot on June 19.
The Shirocco six year old was a winner at his two previous starts, the Group 3 £75,000 Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes (1 mile, 5 furlongs) at Chester on May 9 and the Group 3 £62,500 Cantor Fitzgerald Henry II Stakes (2 miles) at Sandown on May 29 and Dascombe wasn’t frightened to race over the 2800m of the Prix Maurice De Nieuil after pulling up well following his fourth at Royal Ascot.
Brown Panther is currently on the third line of betting at $18 for the 2014 Melbourne Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au behind the Waterhouse trained The Offer at $15 and the Sir Michael Stoute trained Telescope ($17) who was a last start winner in the Group 2 £200,000 Hardwicke Stakes (1 mile 4 furlongs) at Royal Ascot on June 21.
