Expensive import Sir Delius will line up in Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, with owner Sir Owen Glenn’s Melbourne Cup dream still firmly alive.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained stayer sits at the top of betting for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 4 and is one of 66 horses to remain in contention following the first acceptances.
Waterhouse revealed Glenn’s wish list when he joined forces with her stable.
“He said to me at the start of the year you’ve got three things – win me a Golden Slipper, which I’ve done that, win me a Cox Plate, I said I haven’t done that, and win me a Melbourne Cup and I said I’ll work on it,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s at stage of his life, he travels around the world, he loves sport and to be able to pull this off for him would be a dream come true for him and the other owners.
“And it would be nice to get both of them.”
Glenn enjoyed Golden Slipper success with Lady Of Camelot last year, while his colours were carried by Criterion to placings in both the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in 2015. Sir Delius was secured for a hefty price and is being plotted on a program reminiscent of Fiorente’s 2013 Cup-winning campaign.
Instead of contesting the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m), Sir Delius will use the Turnbull as a lead-in before targeting the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) and then backing up into the Melbourne Cup.
Waterhouse likened him to her past Cup hero.
“In his temperament, the size of the horse and his demeanour,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s a very handsome horse and Fiorente was a handsome horse and a very nice horse to train.
“I have never won a Cox Plate, so it would be a dream come true and he’s a horse that could do that as he’s got a wonderful turn of foot as we saw at Caulfield.”
Sir Delius was put through his paces on the Flemington course proper on Tuesday morning, working over the last 1200m in solo fashion.
“I thought he worked very well,” Waterhouse said.
“He was leisurely in his gallop, but very happy and I liked the way he went right through the line.
“After his Underwood win he looks bigger and stronger and pulled up in good condition. You like them to be at their winning weight, and he certainly looks good.
“The people paid a lot of money for the horse and it’s nice when they deliver.
“He’s on the right track for the Melbourne Cup which was the whole point of why we bought him.”
Last year’s Cup winner Knight’s Choice is absent from the 66 remaining hopefuls after issues at Macedon Lodge, but Waterhouse and Bott still have Vauban entered, while leading contenders Via Sistina, Al Riffa and several international raiders also feature. ‘Golden Ticket’ winners Deakin, Parchment Party and Revelare remain alive in the hunt.
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