Out to show he’s the real deal
SOME Australians are hard to please.
Cambridge galloper It’s a Dundeel has earned $2.7 million from just a dozen starts, winning eight, including four at Group I level.
He took out the Sydney triple crown last autumn, winning the Australian Derby by six lengths and the Rosehill Guineas by even more and this month was named New South Wales horse of the year.
Yet not everyone is convinced that he is the real deal.
Instead, the four-year-old was described in a Sydney newspaper last week as It’s A Dud Deal.
That followed comments by some bookmakers, who suggested the horse would be a let down for punters this spring.
“I think It’s a Dundeel is a very good risk for bookies,” Sydney bagman Bill Murphy told the The
Daily Telegraph. “I think he’s slightly overrated, the general public opinion is he’s already a champion but I think he’s just a good horse.”
However, Murphy did concede that he had been wrong about the horse in the past. “I did tip against him a few times and he made me look like a fool.”
TAB spokesman Glenn Munsie also suggested It’s a Dundeel would find the step up to open company as a four-year-old a difficult one but Robbie Waterhouse took the opposite tack. “It’s a Dundeel is a horse who strikes me as one who will keep on improving and this could be his best season coming up,” Waterhouse said.
Murray Baker, who trains It’s a Dundeel, was bemused by some of the comments but hopes the horse will be able to mount his own defence, beginning with the Group I Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield tomorrow week.
The Memsie will be the first big event of the Melbourne carnival and likely to feature It’s a Dundeel, the unbeaten Atlantic Jewel and star Sydney stayer Fiorente.
It’s a Dundeel travelled to Melbourne last weekend and will be ready for a bold effort fresh-up. “We’ve got to keep him a little fresh for 1400m but he’s done a bit of work and I think he will get home all right,” said Baker, who produced The Phantom to win the Memsie in 1990.
“The horse does look good. He’s grown and matured and is from a breed that improves from three to four. We are very happy with him.”
“But I doubt he could beat Atlantic Jewel [over 1400m]. She’s been out for a long time but the word is that she’s back to her best.”
After the Memsie, It’s a Dundeel will head to the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, on September 21, and then use either the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington or the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) as his final lead-up to the Cox Plate (2040m).
He will be nominated for the Melbourne Cup but no decision would be made on a start at Flemington till after the Cox Plate. “We will face that one when the time comes, though I’m sure he would run the trip,” Baker said.
It’s a Dundeel was accompanied to Melbourne by three-yearold stablemate Orion, an O’Reilly gelding who overcame a slow start to record a stylish maiden twoyear-old win at Te Rapa in March.
“We think Orion is a pretty smart horse,” Baker said. “It was a good win at his debut. It’s not easy to do what he did on a firm track at Te Rapa.”
Orion will most likely make his Australian debut in a A$15,000 maiden at Ballarat on Sunday week but might be nominated for the A$150,000 McNeill Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield the day before.
It’s a Dundeel will be ridden throughout the spring by regular jockey James McDonald who is also making the trip from Sydney to Melbourne this weekend, to han- dle Wairarapa three-year-old Cauthen at Moonee Valley tomorrow.
Cauthen impressed McDonald with his second to Clevadude over 1000m at Moonee Valley three weeks ago and the Darci Brahma colt is expected to start favourite for the A$120,000 McKenzie Stakes (1200m).
“He galloped nicely on Tuesday morning and he’s thriving,” Cauthen’s trainer, Andrew Campbell, said. “We have put a bit of pressure on him this week and he’s definitely tightened up with his first run.”
Cauthen needs to win or go close tomorrow to remain a realistic contender for the A$1 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 12.
He will meet Clevadude again, along with Long John and Charles In Charge, who are both unbeaten from two starts.