Melbourne Cup - Australian Cup winner Fiorente will next contest the 2014 The BMW. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
After becoming just the fourth horse in history to secure the Melbourne Cup – Australian Cup double on the weekend, the supreme Gai Waterhouse-trained import Fiorente is now Sydney bound for a shot at The BMW 2014.
The Monsun stallion caught the eye last prep with their ultra-impressive Melbourne spring campaign that culminated with a win in the world’s richest handicap, the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.
After returning for the autumn with a first-up Group 2 success at Caulfield last month the superstar stayer continued creating their incredible record with Saturday’s success in the $1 million Group 1 Darley Australian Cup (2000m).
Like with the Melbourne Cup it was trainer Waterhouse’s maiden win in the classic, and she is confident we haven’t seen the best of Fiorente yet.
“You’ve got to remember he’s a six-year-old stallion who has only had 18 starts,” she told the Courier Mail.
“He’s in supreme form and he’s so lightly raced. He’s a special horse.”
With their Australian Cup triumph, where they were again ridden by their Melbourne Cup winning hoop Damien Oliver, Fiorente joined Saintly, Makybe Diva and Let’s Elope in achieving the double.
“He just wanted to win the race,” Waterhouse said of his Australian Cup performance.
“He just knows where the winning post is.”
Now their sights are set on their new home state with a big Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival on the agenda including their next big target, the $2.25 million Group 1 The BMW (2500m) at Rosehill on April 5.
All going to plan they are also set to contest the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 19.
Unsurprisingly they’ve shot to the top of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds paying $3.80 just ahead of It’s A Dundeel ($4) who is expected to improve on their brave first-up second to Boban in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) in Sydney over the weekend.
After that it’s onto the international stage once more with Waterhouse and connections hoping for a Royal Ascot campaign in England with them mid-year.
“He’s got a great will to win and he’s just so determined,” Waterhouse praised.
“I’m just privileged to be associated with such a great horse.”
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