2013 Melbourne Cup second fancy Fiorente has been defeated in Sydney again with their Queen Elizabeth II-owned stablemate Carlton House taking out their Randwick hitout on Friday morning.
Fiorente (pictued) was defeated by stablemate Carlton House in a Randwick trial on Friday morning. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Gai Waterhouse’s exciting spring duo faced off in one of the 1400m trials this morning with Street Cry five-year-old Carlton House taking the honours, finishing in 1:26.90, for a second time.
They also beat home Monsun stallion Fiorente in an exhibition gallop between races last Saturday at the same track.
English import Carlton House, runner-up to So You Think in last year’s Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (2011m) at Royal Ascot, has had just the one run down under.
It was far from impressive too as they crossed 13th behind Havana Rey in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill at the end of March.
But after watching them storm home ahead of last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Fiorente today Waterhouse declared the stallion was “a different animal”.
It was no tight finish either with Carlton House pulling out a powerful late burst of acceleration to beat home Fiorente by an easy three and a quarter lengths.
Another Waterhouse-trained galloper, The Metropolitan winner Glencadam Gold, was then third.
“The way he sprinted clear was exceptional,” racenet.com.au reported Waterhouse saying of Carlton House after the jump out.
“This is a very different horse and it just goes to show these Europeans can improve significantly into their second preparations.”
Waterhouse had also been full of positive endorsements for Carlton House earlier in the month when they pinged out the gates before holding on in their July 19 trial which Fiorente, last seen running third to All Too Hard in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 27, won.
Despite their impressive hitout Carlton House remains a $31 chance for the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6.
Fiorente meanwhile is the $11 second favourite in the latest Melbourne Cup odds behind the Darren Weir-trained Puissance De Lune at $9 and Waterhouse was also pleased with their second place run.
“I’m over the moon with him,” she said.
“He’s a serious horse that just dwelt a tad when they jumped today.
“But that didn’t stop him producing a lovely trial and he’s doing everything we’re asking of him.”
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