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Sydney latest stop for globetrotting stayer

Sydney Cup raider Mahrajaan is a prime example of racing’s increasing globalisation.

Jockey : Tom Marquand.
Jockey : Tom Marquand. Picture: Steve Hart

If Shaun Ritchie can win the Sydney Cup with Mahrajaan, he will have rival trainer Chris Waller to thank.

Waller was one of the first people to source stayers from Europe and such was his success, a high percentage of horses now competing over longer distances in Australia are imported.

That trend has also found its way to New Zealand, despite the country's proud history of breeding many of Australasia's best stayers, with Ritchie crediting Waller's vision for his acquisition of Mahrajaan.

"He was born in the USA, he was broken in in Dubai, he raced in England, he spent a month in quarantine in Australia and of course he's done most of his racing in New Zealand and now he's back here," Ritchie said of the well-travelled stayer.

"The old days of the New Zealand stayer being a bit dominant over the Australians….they're well and truly gone.

"It's so easy to obtain these horses and bring them here and that's what we've done.

"We've followed the Waller design and jumped on the bandwagon."

Mahrajaan has won two races since his arrival in New Zealand last year and significantly, both have been over the 3200-metre Sydney Cup distance.

An on-speed runner, he captured the New Zealand Cup at Riccarton in November and the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie last month, defeating subsequent Roy Higgins winner Mark Twain.

Saturday will be the third time in five months that Mahrajaan has extended to two miles and Ritchie, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray, admits that has been one of their biggest challenges.

"Part of the problem with this race for us is it's his third crack at two miles this preparation, and that's not done very often," Ritchie said.

"We peaked him for a New Zealand Cup, we backed off and he only had two runs going into the Auckland Cup.

"He's an athletic, sleek style of horse so he doesn't take a lot of work on the track, so that's why he's five-weeks between runs here.

"But we're aware the English horses can do that, he is very clean-winded."

Adding to the English flavour is the booking of visiting UK jockey Tom Marquand.

Marquand was initially slated to partner the William Haggas-trained Post Impressionist but when that horse's Sydny Cup goal was shelved after he failed to back-up in the Tancred Stakes, Ritchie was only too happy to snap up Marquand's services.

"I love Tom. I've been watching him for a long time and he's strong, he gets underneath his horses and drives them out," Ritchie said.

"This horse has done most of his racing in England so I'm sure he'll really suit him."

Of the 17 Sydney Cup runners, only two - Manzoice and Torrens - were bred in Australia.

The other 15 contenders hail from seven different countries, 11 of them from Europe.


Racing and Sports

Randwick

Saturday, 13th April 2024

7
ET

SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 111lbs Type: OPEN
2 m TURF GOOD
7

(local)
AUD $2,159,500
2 m GOOD

SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP (G1)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 111lbs Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 12. CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) 4yo H
ALMANZOR (FR) - FIERY SUNSET (GB)
ANDREA ATZENI
CIARON MAHER
$5.5
51.5kg
M Johnston, Mrs A J Johnston, T N Porter, H P Sambor, Eleven Royals, Shadwell Farm Racing, The Greene Machine, A S Ingersole, M J Burns, B S David, B R A W Racing, Burning Ring, T A Ginnane, R McClure, B G Noonan, D J O'Connor, G J P Van Ameyden, D J House, W B Keighran & Madica
2nd 10. ATHABASCAN (FR) 5yo G
ALMANZOR (FR) - ALZUBRA (GB)
TYLER SCHILLER
JOHN O'SHEA
$6
52kg
O T I Racing (Mgr: T Henderson), F Cook, Mrs C Cook, L Webb, Ms D McKeown, T Needham, R Menchise, L Freeman, The French King (Mgr: D Foley), A Goodfellow, Mrs K Milliken, J Spence, Mrs J Spence, J Gurrieri, J Higgins, M Hay, D McRae, R Gold & M McKelvie
3rd 7. KALAPOUR (IRE) 7yo G
WAR COMMAND (USA) - KALADENA (IRE)
DYLAN GIBBONS
KRIS LEES
$12
54kg
L Petagna, MJM Racing, Gurners Bloodstock Co, J Singh, W Guest, M Clemenger, T Watson, D Redgrove, Mrs S Redgrove, T Johns, I Clifton, P Filipovic, Mrs J Guest, Mrs J Cross, Mrs N Malone, Mrs S Grayson & Tah Boys
4th 8. SERPENTINE (IRE) 7yo G
GALILEO (IRE) - REMEMBER WHEN (IRE)
TIM CLARK
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$13
53.5kg
5th 6. SELINO (GB) 8yo G
CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) - AIR KISS (GB)
TOMMY BERRY
CHRIS WALLER
$26
54.5kg
6th 15. MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) 5yo G
HARZAND (IRE) - CLARINDA (FR)
RACHEL KING
TRENT BUSUTTIN & NATALIE YOUNG
$12
51.5kg

Sales Information

7th 3. ASHRUN (FR) 8yo G
AUTHORIZED (IRE) - ASHANTEE (GER)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
CIARON MAHER
$8
55.5kg

Sales Information

8th 1. MILITARY MISSION (IRE) 6yo G
MASTERCRAFTSMAN (IRE) - ATLANTIC ISLE (GER)
ADAM HYERONIMUS
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$21
56.5kg

Sales Information

9th 4. LOFT (GER) 6yo G
ADLERFLUG (GER) - LABRICE (GB)
BLAKE SHINN
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$51
55.5kg

Sales Information

10th 9. AMADE (IRE) 10yo G
CASAMENTO (IRE) - SHEBA FIVE (USA)
MICHAEL DEE
PHILLIP STOKES
$9.5
53kg

Sales Information

11th 5. STOCKMAN (NZ) 7yo G
TAVISTOCK (NZ) - CRIMSON (NZ)
REECE JONES
JOSEPH PRIDE
$81
55kg

Sales Information

12th 17. SO DAZZLING (NZ) 4yo M
SO YOU THINK (NZ) - DAZZLING LADY (NZ)
JAY FORD
J G SARGENT
$51
51.5kg

Sales Information

13th 13. GLENTANEOUS (IRE) 6yo G
GLENEAGLES (IRE) - SPONTANEOUS (IRE)
JAMIE KAH
A & S FREEDMAN
$11
51.5kg

Sales Information

14th 11. MANZOICE (AUS) 4yo G
ALMANZOR (FR) - CHOICE (NZ)
ZAC LLOYD
CHRIS WALLER
$17
51.5kg

Sales Information

15th 14. MAJOR BEEL (NZ) 4yo G
SAVABEEL (AUS) - GRAM (NZ)
LOUIS-PHILIPPE BEUZELIN
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$21
51.5kg

Sales Information

16th 2. MAHRAJAAN (USA) 6yo G
KITTEN'S JOY (USA) - LAHUDOOD (GB)
TOM MARQUAND
SHAUNE RITCHIE & COLM MURRAY
$20
56kg

Sales Information