POCKET ROCKET EL BODEGON ‘DESIGNED’ FOR THE VALLEY
CHAMPION jockey Damien Oliver has endorsed El Bodegon’s Cox Plate credentials after taking the star import on a spin around The Valley.
Dual Cox Plate winner Oliver, who rode El Bodegon for the first time on Tuesday, was taken by the Group 1 winner’s aptitude to the circuit.
“Really pleased me … he’s not a big horse but he’s very athletic, got a good presence about him and he handled the course well,” Oliver said. “His fitness and his condition is really good, his action felt great, he seems in great order.”
El Bodegon has won three of nine career starts in England and France, including the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud as a two-year-old. The brother of 2018
Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution returned as a three-year-old to run second in the Group 1 French Derby last June.
The form out of the derby has been “unbelievable”, with four of the first five going on to win or place in subsequent European Group 1 races.
“The best races in Europe and he’s been matching motors with some really good horses and the form around him is really strong,” Oliver said. “I think he’s got very good Cox Plate credentials.”
Oliver gave Chris Waller’s racing manager and assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth a glowing report after The Valley pipe opener.
“(Oliver said) ‘he’s a small horse but plays a big game’, I quite enjoyed that one,” Duckworth beamed. “Ollie actually thinks Moonee Valley is designed for him (El Bodegon), or he’s designed for Moonee Valley, either way I’m happy.”
El Bodegon is an $11 chance with TAB for the Cox Plate trailing the big three, Anamoe ($2), Zaaki ($5) and I’m Thunderstruck ($8).