Jockey Damian Lane was quick to name French-bred stayer King Of Leogrance as a genuine 2020 Melbourne Cup contender following a win in Monday’s 150^th edition of the Group 2 $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m).

Trainer Danny O’Brien prepared Aussie bred and raced Vow And Declare to win the world’s richest handicap last November and looks to have another strong hope in the Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) this coming spring in Camelot gelding King Of Leogrance.

Adelaide Cup winner King Of Leogrance is likely to target the 2020 Melbourne Cup this spring. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

The lightly raced five-year-old took his career record up to five wins and for minor placings from a dozen starts when stepping up over two miles for the Adelaide Cup 2020 at Morphettville.

Third-up this prep the horse enjoyed back-to-back wins having taken out the Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington in the lead-up to his Adelaide Cup run.

Saluting for the punters as the short $2.20 favourite in betting, King Of Leogrance was dominant defeating the local Phillip Stokes-trained Good Idea ($17) by over two lengths with Kiwi-bred Chouxting The Mob ($31) in third.

While there is a long time between now and the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November at HQ, the ‘race that stops a nation’ looks the ideal target for the Adelaide Cup winner who is now proven over the testing 3200m.

“He’s such a progressive type that no matter what they set him for, whether it’s a Sydney Cup or the Andrew Ramsden and try and get him into the Melbourne Cup, he would be suited,” Lane said.

Subzero (1992) was the last horse to complete the Adelaide Cup – Melbourne Cup double.

King Of Leogrance is raced by Lloyd Williams and connections, Williams having owned a record six Melbourne Cup winners most recently taking out the classic with Rekindling (2017).

The Adelaide Cup result was a welcome positive in what was an extremely sad week for the stable and Australian racing following the news of a track rider’s death last Monday morning.

“I think this goes out to all the staff at Danny O’Brien’s,” Williams’ son and part-owner Nick Williams told the media.

“Obviously it can’t make up for what has happened this morning, but hopefully it cheers them up a little.

“It’s a horrific thing to happen but thankfully this horse has shown his true form today.”

King Of Leogrance is currently the $21 third favourite in futures Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au following last year’s third placegetter Il Paradiso ($17) now with Chris Waller and 2019 Adelaide Cup winner Surprise Baby ($19) who ran an outstanding fifth in the behind Vow And Declare in the iconic Flemington Race 7.

The Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 meanwhile looks a closer target for King Of Leogrance who is at $8 to win the staying feature held during ‘The Championships’.

Click here for the latest Melbourne Cup 2020 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Adelaide Cup Results