Lloyd homes in on Cup
Macedon Lodge finds a new star in narrow Underwood win
STRIPPED of two spring contenders, Macedon Lodge continues to flex formidable muscle with the emergence of Homesman as a legitimate Caulfield Cup prospect.
On a day when Darren Weir trained five winners at Caulfield, Homesman halted the champion trainer’s juggernaut with Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) victory.
And, in the absence of Lloyd Williams’s 2017 spring stars Rekindling and Johannes Vermeer, the import charged into Caulfield Cup calculations by upstaging Weir duo Tosen Basil and Humidor.
The lightly raced gelding is now TAB $7 second favourite for the October 20 Caulfield Cup, splitting Weir’s Kings Will Dream ($4.50) and Night’s Watch ($8).
His triumph completed a big weekend for Ben Melham, who won the Group 2 Premiere Stakes on Santa Ana Lane at Randwick on Saturday.
“Nice horses and good support from stables like this makes life easier,” Melham said.
“(Macedon Lodge) have been great supporters for me and they’re about to start firing, I think.
“Taj (The Taj Mahal) won well the other night (the JRA Cup at The Valley).
“This horse is a beautiful horse. He ran really well in the Dato (Tan Chin Nam’ Stakes) and up to a more suitable trip, blinkers back on and he’s just a real tradesman, this bloke.
“He’s in great order, the stable has got him going fantastically and he’s in for a great preparation.”
Part-owner Nick Williams said Homesman deserved a crack at the elite after eclipsing a string of Group 1 winners in the Underwood.
“He’s a tough animal, he’s very genuine, very honest,” Williams said.
“Ben gave him a great ride. I think 1800m is a bit short of his optimum trip.
“It’s great to get the Group 1 up for him and that gives him ballot-free exemption into the Caulfield Cup.”
Weir was delighted with the performance of Tosen Basil, who tightened from $51 to $13 for the Caulfield and Melbourne cups after failing by a short head.