Road to riches for Charles
It’s not the Melbourne Cup but David Archer is hoping today’s Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington might be just as lucrative.
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Sir Charles Road was paid up for Tuesday’s Group I Melbourne Cup (3200m) but missed a place in the final field of 24.
However, by making the final payment, which was reimbursed by the club when Sir Charles Road missed making the Cup field, connections became eligible for a A$200,000 bonus should he win the Queen Elizabeth.
Sir Charles Road earned $A150,000 for his seventh place finish in last year’s Melbourne Cup but would bank $A380,000 for Archer, his partner Di Wright and children Simon and Natalie if he wins today.
‘‘We knew pretty early on in the piece we weren’t going to make it, but we were advised to pay up for the Cup so we were eligible for this bonus. It was a strategic move,’’ Archer said.
‘‘We’d love to see him come up trumps on Saturday because he really deserves it. He’s been so unlucky over here. He’s been blocked and not getting the best of runs but his performances have all been good.
‘‘He’s up against the likes of Carif and True Self on Saturday but he’s so well and everyone keeps telling us the big boy is looking so good. He won’t be far away.’’
A Group
II winner of the
Chairman’s Handicap at 2600m in Sydney last year before placing in the Sydney Cup (3200m), Sir Charles Road placed in the Metropolitan (2400m) and the Australian St Leger (2600m) at Randwick before finishing fourth in last Saturday’s Hotham Handicap (2500m) at Flemington, a race that would have qualified him for the Melbourne Cup had he won.
‘‘Dwayne Dunn made the right choice to back off a hot speed because the two horses that set the speed finished out the back, but it still wasn’t easy to make up ground at Flemington last week,’’
Archer said.
‘‘We’ll be going forward come what may on Saturday. He went down to the beach with Bostonian on Wednesday and chilled out. He’s a pretty happy horse and we think he’ll run really well.’’
Archer said Sir Charles Road would return home to spell after the race but was hoping to have him back in Australia next year.
Archer’s focus won’t be solely on Charles Road though, with the Tony Pike-trained Bostonian tackling the Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) in the following race, with Dunn again booked to ride.
Resuming in Melbourne with a ninth placing in the Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley in late September after his Group One heroics in Brisbane last winter, Bostonian has finished third in the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield and fifth in the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in two runs since.
‘‘He’s really well. He ran magnificently in the Moir but since then he’s just got two concrete tracks in a row and he jarred up in the Manikato,’’ Archer said.
Group One performer Rondinella will attempt to record her first stakes victory at Flemington today when she contests the Group II Matriarch Stakes (2000m).
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare has been in good form in Melbourne this spring, finishing runner-up in the Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield last start.
While her connections were pleased with both runs, Wellwood said they are looking forward to stepping her up over 2000m at Flemington. ‘‘She has been racing well over a mile in Australia, but this is where she really gets her chance to excel,’’ he said.
‘‘She lacked a bit of luck first up and then was left a little bit flat footed in her second run, but she charged to the line well, which going forward to 2000m is a good indication she is on the right track.
‘‘She has been beaten by a couple of nice horses, a Group One winner and a stakes winner.
‘‘We are really excited to see her back up over 2000m, which is probably her real pet distance.’’
James and Wellwood are happy with the daughter of Ocean Park and she will jump from barrier two with Kerrin McEvoy aboard. ‘‘As Rondinella hasn’t won a stakes race yet, she gets in very well at the weights. She gets in at 55 kilos, so it is a good race for her.’’