Ashrun grabs final place
RACING
MELBOURNE: The only international trainer to put himself through the rigours of a 14day quarantine in the hope of getting a Melbourne Cup starter has gained the last ticket into the race.
German galloper Ashrun leapfrogged his way into Tuesday’s $A7.75 million Cup at Flemington with a thrilling lasttofirst victory in the Lexus Hotham Stakes at that same track yesterday.
That made 14 days of quarantine in Sydney before travelling to Melbourne worthwhile for standout horseman Andreas Wohler, who won the 2014 Cup with Protectionist.
‘‘When you get an outcome like this, it really is [worthwhile],’’ Wohler said.
‘‘[Yesterday], he didn’t have the best run around and still won in the end with topweight, so we’re very pleased,’’ he told Racing.com.
After lumping topweight of 61kg to victory in the
Hotham, Ashrun will carry just
53kg tomorrow after Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter decided against a rehandicap.
Earlier, Racing Victoria vets cleared both Warning and Chapada to be paid up for the cup.
The Melbourne Cup is set to have just one horse trained fulltime in New Zealand in The Chosen One, who will represent Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
He was a fighting third in the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago at Mornington and looks stronger now than when he finished well back in 19th in the Melbourne Cup last year.
But there will be plenty of other New Zealand interest in the race — Sydney Cup winner Etah James is owned in New Zealand and spent part of her racing career in the country, while Caulfield Cup winner Verry Elleegant is one of the favourites for tomorrow. She not only started her career in New Zealand but is still partowned here.
Another favourite is Surprise Baby, who was bred in New Zealand and sold for just $5500. — The New Zealand Herald