Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien can see his Cox Plate runner Adelaide being suited to the tricky tight turning Moonee Valley circuit.
Irish galloper Adelaide, above, will be suited to the tight turning Moonee Valley circuit when he runs in the Cox Plate. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The lightly raced European three year old will race as a four year old in Australia in the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and has been handed the visitor’s draw for Saturday, coming up with barrier thirteen in the fourteen horse field.
But O’Brien believes the Galileo stallion has the ability and racing style to handle Moonee Valley and is ready for the tough 2040m.
“The mile and a quarter on a tight track will suit him. He has plenty of speed and fast ground will suit him too,” O’Brien told Racing.com.
O’Brien said that the reports he has received from his team travelling with Adelaide have all been positive since he arrived at the Werribee International Quarantine Centre and they are looking forward to being a part of the ‘Weight-For-Age Championship of Australasia’.
“We are looking forward to the race and it is great to have a runner down there again,” O’Brien said.
“He has travelled well and it has been a case of so far so good.
“We decided to target the race when Tom (Magnier, son of Coolmore supremo John) and the lads bought into him, and the lads who went with him on the flight say it went well.”
High profile international jockey Ryan Moore has ridden Adelaide at his last two starts and will be making the trip down under to ride him in the Cox Plate.
“Ryan has ridden him on his last couple of starts including when winning the Secretariat and will ride him again,” added O’Brien.
Ryan was aboard Adelaide when he won the Group 1 US$500,000 Secretariat Stakes (1 mile 2 furlongs) at Arlington Park, USA on August 16 then the pair finished third in the Group 2 €130,000 QATAR Prix Niel (2400m) at Longchamp, in France, on September 14.
At his other run in the US, Adelaide was ridden by Irish jockey Colm O’Donoghue for a second in the Group 1 US1.25m Belmont Derby International Stakes at Belmont Park, USA, on July 5.
Adelaide has been well supported to make his Australian racing debut and is currently sharing the second line of betting at $6 with the Chris Waller trained Sacred Falls in the Cox Plate.
Last start Caulfield Stakes winner Fawkner is the $4 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au while Criterion is also well in contention at $8.50 following his first class effort when second to Fawkner at Caulfield.
