Wheeler’s Cup consolation
John Wheeler reckons he already has a photo of Pentathlon winning the New Zealand Cup on his wall at home.
Or near enough anyway. That photo in the Hall of Fame trainer’s New Plymouth home is of the 2006 New Zealand Cup, won by Pentathlon’s three-quarter brother Pentathon, a chestnut Pentire gelding ridden by Noel Harris.
On Saturday, Pentathlon, also a chestnut son of Pentire, contests the New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton with Harris’ son Troy booked to ride.
‘‘They are clones of each other, those horses. I’ve got the photo of Pentathon winning at home so I won’t need the photo if this horse wins on Saturday,’’ said Wheeler, who also trained Waltermitty to win the 2004 New Zealand Cup.
Wheeler opted for the New Zealand Cup for Pentathlon after the six-year-old failed to win the Lexus Quality (2500m) at Flemington a fortnight ago in a last-ditch bid to seal a place in the Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Pentathlon went a muchimproved race for third behind Cismontane and has returned to New Zealand rather than stay for Saturday’s Sandown Cup (3200m) because of the superior prizemoney.
‘‘I didn’t want to back him up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes the week after the Lexus because that would have meant racing him Saturday-Saturday-Saturday and the Sandown Cup was only worth $150,000, $100,000 less than the New Zealand Cup, so we’ve brought him home,’’ Wheeler said.
‘‘He flew to Auckland and spent two days with Stephen McKee and then he flew to Christchurch. He’s travelled brilliantly, hasn’t turned a hair.’’
That’s good news for Pentathlon supporters, especially after his travel to Melbourne didn’t go so well.
‘‘He picked up a bug on the flight to Melbourne, probably viral rather than bacterial but he had a bit of residue in his lungs,’’ Wheeler said.
‘‘I had him right for the Lexus, but he had missed a bit of work and it cost him the win. He peaked with 50m to go, but he was still taking ground off the winner. He had made up six lengths from the
400m to the 200m, but then only took a length of him in the last
200m.’’
While Pentathlon didn’t contest the Melbourne Cup, Wheeler can take heart from a past result of a stayer making the trip back from Melbourne for the New Zealand Cup.
Empire Rose won the 1987 edition after finishing second to Kensei at Flemington.
Pentathlon won on both the first and middle days of the 2015 New Zealand Cup carnival and Wheeler is confident he could finish his sweep of the three meetings on Saturday.
‘‘He should be too good for those horses so long as he doesn’t get any bad luck. It’s not an ideal alley [barrier 11 of 12] but he can race anywhere.’’
Wheeler, who also has first-day runner-up Vencedora in action on Saturday, said Pentathlon would have a brief spell before a likely tilt at the Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on January 20.
❚ The only question the in-form filly Dijon Bleu has to answer in Saturday’s New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton is one of distance.
“It’s good to see her get a good draw, but the step up to 1600m is a bit of a concern although it is against her own age group,” the Awapuni trainer said.
Dijon Bleu boasts excellent lead-up form to the classic with consecutive wins in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes (1200m), the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and the Listed Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
❚ Roger James is praying for a truly run Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on Saturday for his charge Von Tunzelman.
“I just hope there’s a bit more pace in the race,” the Cambridge trainer said.
“He got back last start in a slowly run race and he was a long time getting clear room.
“He was doing his best work late, he needs to get out and have time to build up.”
Von Tunzelman, who finished sixth over 1800m at Flemington in his Australian debut, will be ridden by Michael Dee.