Melbourne Cup The Second Australian Start For Seismos

Managing co-owner Darren Dance has revealed that imported stayer Seismos is set to contest both the 2014 Melbourne Cup as well as the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.

Seismos will follow in the footsteps of stablemates Jakkalberry and Dandino and contest both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.

Seismos will follow in the footsteps of stablemates Jakkalberry and Dandino and contest both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Seismos was purchased by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock earlier this year with a tilt in the Melbourne Cup in mind and the Dalakhani gelding has performed well since joining the stable of Marco Botti.

Dance revealed earlier in the week that Dandino would be saved for the Melbourne Cup and not run in the Caulfield Cup, but he confirmed that Seismos is likely to run in both races after he was allocated the Caulfield Cup weight of 54 kilograms by Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter.

“Seismos is a horse that we have bought for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups,” Dance told Sky Racing HQ.

“He is a younger horse, he is a very tough horse, he runs on the speed and our plan is to bring him out on the first shipment and have a crack at the Caulfield Cup.

“We will try and earn some money there and onto the Melbourne Cup.

“I wouldn’t suspect that we will have any problems getting a run in the Caulfield Cup.

“He is already a Group 1 winner over 2400 and being a last start winner over Red Cadeaux that should put us in good stead.”

Seismos made his racing debut under the care of German trainer Andreas Wohler in 2011 and he has been a consistent performer at the highest level of racing in Europe for a number of years.

He scored a number of wins at Group level in Germany in 2012 before he stamped himself as a genuine staying star with a dominant four lengths win in the Group 1 Grosser Pries Von Bayern (2413m) at Munich on August 11.

Seismos has been unable to add another Group 1 victory to his racing resume, but he will be bringing excellent form to Australia at the end of the month after he scored a tough win over the likes of fellow Melbourne Cup contenders Willing Foe and Red Cadeaux in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2670m) at Newbury on August 16.

Dandino is the most fancied Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock-owned runner in 2014 Melbourne Cup betting markets and he is available at a quote of $21, while Seismos is available at Melbourne Cup odds of $41.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.