Randwick trainer Bart Cummings looks to have unearthed a possible Melbourne Cup horse following Empires Choice’s (NZ) win in the $500,000, Group I, BMW Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
An 11 time winner of the Melbourne Cup, Cummings believes Empires Choice will be an improved galloper come spring time.
Empires Choice is bred to be a Melbourne Cup winner. He’s a son of Redoute’s Choice from Rosie’s Star, a daughter of former Melbourne Cup winner Empire Rose.
“He’s only getting better with the distance,” Cummings said. “I think he’s got a good future and I really think by the spring he’ll be better again.”
Connections of Empire’s Choice had some anxious moments as they had to withstand a protest by the runner-up, Volcanic Star (Fuji Kiseki), for alleged interference over the last 100 metres of the race.
The other Cummings trained runner Sirmione (Encosta de Lago) was third, Resolution fourth and King Of The Nile fifth. The margins were a head and half-head, the time 2.32.98 and the final 600m on the heavy track in 39.78. Empires Choice paid $5.90 on NSW TAB as third favourite.
After a lengthy hearing, Empires Choice retained the race. Empires Choice’s stablemate Sirmione was back in third place.
Cummings said Sirmione was an unlucky runner.
“He might have just lost it a bit on the turn,” Cummings said. “He couldn’t cut the corner and had to go right around the tramline.
“That cost him a couple of lengths, otherwise he would have certainly run second or may have even won.”
Jockey Damien Oliver has had two rides on the colt for as many wins. He was successful over Sands Of Time in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate, 2020 metres, at Doomben on May 26.
“He’s still putting it altogether and you’ve got to try and outsmart him,” he said.
Oliver and Empires Choice were second last on the turn gving some 5L to th eleaders who wer all racing three out from the rails and spread across the track. They made ground continuiously up the straight and with 50m to run they were leveling with the leaders.
Oliver said after getting back he elected to stay inside and save a lot of ground.
“I thought if I got to the outside and went around them I would have to do a lot of work and cover a lot of extra ground,” he said.
“I thought I’d save him for the last crack because he’s got a good finish but he’s a horse that you don’t want to get there too soon on.
“He was really strong on the line. The other day when I won on him when he got to the front he tended to wait for the other horses to come to him.”
Oliver said that while Empires Choice was an improving galloper, he wasn’t sure whether he would be up to the class of the Melbourne Cup in November.
“He’s probably got a bit of improvement to make to be up to that class, but he’s certainly hitting his straps and going in the right direction,” he said.
The favourite, last week’s Queensland Oaks winner, Eskimo Queen lost her rider Greg Childs with about 1500 metres to run.
Childs was left a little groggy after fall and suffered a bruised cheek.
To rub salt into the wound he was replaced aboard Sequallan who went on to win the following race, the listed Lightning Handicap over 1000 metres.
Empire’s Choice was winning for only the third time on Saturday, but he has raced in top company at two, being twice group placed, and finishing fifth in the Group I Golden Slipper. He then had muscular problems in his back and it has taken the stable some time and patience to restore the colt back to Saturday’s level.
Cummings part-owns Empire’s Choice, along with Wise Choice T'breds (Mgrs: P and E Gwynne), A Rees, P Hawley, A Reinke, S & L Harpley, Havago Syn(Mgr: M Virgo) and P Rawson.
He has raced 15 times for his three wins, and with seven placings he has earned stakes of $842,475.
With agencies.