Ebor Handicap Produces Melbourne Cup Hopes
- Sunday, 24 August 2014 08:15
Mutual Regard and Van Percy have run the quinella in England's richest handicap to set up another clash in Melbourne.
Jockey turned trainer Johnny Murtagh sent out 20-1 chance Mutual Regard to beat to beat the Andrew Balding-trained Van Percy (14-1) by a length in the STG265,000 ($A483,709) Ebor (2800m).
"I never won this race as a jockey, but I was second a few times," Murtagh said.
"Ascot might be on his agenda now, but we'll see about the Melbourne Cup as he loves fast ground."
Balding said Van Percy was improving with each run.
"I'm delighted, he's run a good honest race and he keeps improving," he said.
"That's it now, he'll be off to Australia. He goes into quarantine on September 11 and we'll look at his options out there.
"We will have to see if he goes up enough to get in the Melbourne Cup."
Another potential Cups horse, Glorious Protector, stepped up to win the Listed August Stakes (2300m) at Windsor.
Glorious Protector is trained by Ed Walker who brought Ruscello to Australia last year.
Ruscello won the Lexus Stakes to qualify for the Melbourne Cup but was outclassed and finished 23rd of the 24 runners.
Glorious Protector has been entered for the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate with Melbourne Cup entries taken early next month.
