Adelaide backed to shinein Plate
Winner of the Grade One Secretariat Stakes at Arlington last month, Aidan O’Brien’s son of Galileo will go into quarantine on Thursday week.
The three-year-old colt was well supported for the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, losing little in defeat at the hands of impressive winner Eagle Top.
Connections of Adelaide believe the firmer ground in Melbourne will be to his liking.
James Bester, Australian racing manager for Coolmore, said: “He probably should have won that race (Prix Niel), as impressive as the winner, Ectot, was.
“There was some temptation, given that was a major Arc trial and that prior Arc favourite Treve flopped in her trial, to consider the Arc de Triomphe for him.
“That said, he’s a horse that relishes really fast ground.
“In America, when he won his Grade One, it was really firm ground.
“It’s all systems go for the Cox Plate. He goes into quarantine on the 25th (September) and he comes out of quarantine in Werribee on the morning of the Cox Plate.
“The firm ground that he is likely to encounter in Australia will suit him tremendously. As long as he gets through his quarantine OK, he has to have a serious chance in this race.
“This horse will thrive under Australian conditions.”
* Leading sire Street Cry has been euthanised at the age of 16 due to complications relating to a neurological condition.
Winner of the 2002 Dubai World Cup for Godolphin during his racing days, Street Cry was retired to to Jonabell Farm in Kentucky in 2003 and he produced top filly Zenyatta and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense in his first crop.
Other leading progeny included Melbourne Cup winner Shocking and the Queen’s Carlton House, with Street Cry siring 15 winners at the highest level to date with three of his stallion sons also producing Group One victors.
* Champions Day at Ascot or a trip to Canada are two possible options for Encke following his creditable run when third in the Irish St Leger.
The five-year-old won the 2012 St Leger at Doncaster but his subsequent career stalled as he served a six-month ban as one of the horses caught up in the Mahmood Al Zarooni drugs scandal, missing the whole of 2013.
Now with Charlie Appleby, the Godolphin-owned Encke posted an excellent effort upon his return, when second over 12 furlongs at Goodwood, before stepping back up to a mile and six furlongs to chase home the enterprisingly-ridden Brown Panther and Leading Light at the Curragh on Sunday.
