Celine Gaudray realised a childhood dream at Geelong on Wednesday, guiding Torranzino to victory in the Group 2 Geelong Cup and booking the gelding’s ticket into the Melbourne Cup.

The race carried extra intrigue with royal colours on display — those of King Charles III, a former Geelong Grammar student — as his representative Gilded Water went down narrowly. Torranzino ($10) fought off the favourite ($1.80) by half a length, with Berkeley Square ($7) finishing another neck away in third.

“It is so surreal,” Gaudray said. “Ever since I was a little girl I watched the Melbourne Cup – as does everybody else – and to get a ride is unbelievable and this horse really deserves his spot.”

She said the win came after a smooth run in transit. “The whole race I was giggling to myself. He was travelling really well and I thought at the 600 (metre mark) that I’d pop out and let him come into it. I had so much horse underneath me and he took me to the line.”

Trainer Paul Preusker, who is targeting the 3200m Cup at Flemington on November 4, said the stayer is thriving. Described as “a tricky but fit” horse, Torranzino is peaking at the right time and now sits at $34 in Melbourne Cup markets after firming from $51.

Earlier on the program, Kiwi conditioner Mark Walker teamed with jockey Michael Dee to win the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) with Azazel ($6.50), a son of former Cup hero Shocking. The gelding outstayed his rivals and will now head to the Victoria Derby (2500m) on November 1.

Stable representative Ben Gleeson said Azazel would only improve with more distance. “He toughed it out,” he said. “When I saw them slacken the pace and make it a sit-sprint, it was never going to suit this horse. He’ll love the 2500 (metres of the Victoria Derby). We bought him with that profile in mind (and) hopefully we get a strongly run 2500 and a true staying test.”

Azazel remains an $8 chance in early Derby markets. View the latest Melbourne Cup and Victoria Derby odds at Australia’s premier betting sites.