Gai Waterhouse has this week revealed her best fancied Melbourne Cup 2013 chance Fiorente will bypass the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and race exclusively in Victoria leading up to the ‘race that stops a nation’ this season.
Fiorente will run in Victoria only heading towards the 2013 Melbourne Cup this spring. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Runner-up to Green Moon in the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) last November at their first start down under, Monsun stallion Fiorente is on track for another shot at the world’s richest handicap at Flemington this year.
They have had just the one run since last year’s Cup when third behind All Too Hard in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in late April.
As it has panned out that will be the only Sydney appearance for the French import, formerly with Sir Michael Stoute, in 2013 with Waterhouse mapping out a Melbourne-only spring campaign.
Waterhouse made the announcement that Sydney wouldn’t see any more of Fiorente this spring after they performed well when just going down in an exhibition gallop to the Queen’s horse Carlton House between races at Randwick on Saturday.
“I’m very happy with both horses, they are coming to hand beautifully, and they will trial again at Randwick on Friday over 1400m,” the Herald Sun quoted Waterhouse as saying on Saturday.
“Then Fiorente goes down to Melbourne.
“There are more options for him there and that is where I want him to be.”
Their likely first-up run at this stage will be in the $350,000 Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.
While she has a number of smart stayers in the mix for the Melbourne Cup 2013 including Carlton House as well as The Metropolitan winner Glencadam Gold, Fiorente is the shortest-priced in the early markets.
In the current pre-nomination Melbourne Cup odds Fiorente occupies the second line of betting at $12 equal with Mount Athos and trailing only the Darren Weir-trained Puissance De Lune.
To get behind Fiorente or another selection for the Melbourne Cup at the best ante-post prices head over to bookmaker.com.au and enjoy access to all the spring’s Group 1 markets.
