Werribee drawcard for internationals
THE s t o r y g o e s t h a t Americain’s owners sent their world-class stayer back to France earlier this year just so he could be trained out of Werribee again for the Melbourne Cup.
No one is really certain of the veracity of this, but then no one is denying it either.
Werribee, one of the oldest racecourses in Victoria with antiquated facilities far removed from fabulous Flemington, is becoming a better advertisement for Australian tourism than those mystifying Qantas ads.
And it is becoming more famous as the exclusive training centre for overseastrained horses, producing the past two Melbourne Cup winners — French stayers Americain i n 2010 and Dunaden last year.
Both horses have returned this spring and are among a record number of 16 international gallopers already here for the Melbourne spring carnival.
It doesn’t stop there — a further four European stayers are due to arrive next weekend.
Trackwork here starts at a more sedate 7am but, with so many imports this spring, it seems j ust as busy as Flemington or Caulfield.
A large media contingent at windy Werribee to watch the morning gallops yesterday prompted one cynical journalist to comment: ‘‘There’s a bigger crowd here than what they will get for the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield tomorrow.’’
Most were there to interview Dunaden’s trainer Mikel Delzangles, the personification of the committed modern trainer and global traveller.
He flew in from France on Sunday, arriving just after 2am, and watched Dunaden do some light exercise that morning. Delzangles was back at Werribee again yes- terday morning to oversee Dunaden’s final serious hitout before Saturday’s Caulfied Cup.
Dunaden galloped brilliantly over 1600m, running his final 1200m in 1min 16.5sec, including a final 600m sectional of 35.8sec (last 400m in 23.9sec).
Delzangles declared the stayer a certain starter in the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup after the workout.
Americain is on his third visit to Australia and the reasons the stallion’s owners wanted him back at Werribee to prepare for the Melbourne Cup were obvious yesterday.
The eight-year-old looks in superb condition, his coat was dappled, and he worked strongly over 2200m.
Dunaden and Americain will be joined by English duo Jakkalberry and My Quest For Peace in the Caulfield Cup field.
Jakkalberry’s handler Alex Cairns said the seven-yearold stayer is thriving at Werribee. ‘‘The only problem is that so is every other horse here,’’ Cairns said.