Trainer Brian Dean has taken the lead of Australian trainers and searched Europe for a potential Longines Singapore Gold Cup contender.
Next Tuesday's Emirates Melbourne Cup has almost been over-run with a European contingent to the extent that a week out from the race there may only be two Australian-bred stayers in the 3200m contest at Flemington.
As many as 11 gallopers trained out of Europe could take their place in the A$6 million staying championship while owners from Australia could have as many as eight horses run in the Cup that were purchased from European stables with the race in mind.
With the Australian breeding industry looking for a quick return and therefore breeding for speed, there certainly looks to be a lack of depth in staying ranks.
Dean hopes he has found one that will take a step closer to the $1.35 million 2200m Gold Cup on November 13 when Honest Broker lines-up this Sunday.
Victory in the $150,000 Mandai Classic Stakes over 2200m may see the Irish-bred gelding sneak into the Gold Cup field.
With a rating of just 63 Honest Broker would certainly be well down the order in the list of Gold Cup contenders but Dean knows one thing about the gelding – he can certainly stay.
Honest Broker stepped up to 2200m on September 23 and blew his rivals away with a stunning seven-and-a-quarter length victory prompting connections to start dreaming of the Gold Cup.
The gelding was down to run in an 1800m contest on October 14, but Dean elected to scratch the gelding and save him for the Mandai Classic Stakes.
Honest Broker impressed Dean with a barrier trial over 1000m on October 18, in which he finished fourth in a good heat behind Clint.
“If he wins this then it is onwards to the Gold Cup,” said Dean.
“He's very fit and in good form. I know he didn't win an overly strong race the other day, but he did it in good style and the form from the race has stacked up pretty well.
“I scratched him the other day as I felt the track may have been just a touch too firm for him, so I'll be out doing a rain-dance and hoping for a little bit of give.
“He trialled well the other day and galloped strongly for Ronnie Stewart last Saturday and I'm looking forward to seeing him race again to make sure his win wasn't a fluke.”
Dean said he took a leaf out of the book of fellow Australian trainers by turning his attention to Europe looking for suitable staying prospects.
“We used to go to New Zealand looking for stayers but they are getting hard to find with most of them getting snapped up or out of our price range,” said Dean.
“And the Australians just don't seem to be breeding stayers and if they do they are taking too long to come through.
“That's why I went to Europe looking for a staying type and came across this horse. He'd won three races and Frankie Dettori won on him one day.”
Dean said Honest Broker had found his early racing in Singapore over 1200m and 1400m too short before stepping him up over ground on the Polytrack. His breakthrough win over 2200m came when he was back to the turf last time out.
“Hopefully he can make the Gold Cup field this year but I won't be too worried if he doesn't,” said Dean. “He's an improving stayer and if he continues to keep getting better then there is always next year.”
