Craig Ritchie has turned his focus to Queensland with hardy New Zealander Roi D'Jeu after Saturday's gutsy second placing in the sodden Stayer's Cup at Rosehill.
The Warwick Farm trainer has circled June 30 in his calendar citing the $200,000 listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) as a potential next assignment for his six-year-old.
Over the page he's also marked July 7, the date of this year's two-mile Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm. Ritchie said both races were suitable options.
“There's probably not much left for him now in Sydney it's pretty hard to bring a horse back to say 2200 or 2000m especially if the track gets a bit better, they lose their zip once they race the way he's raced the other day,” Ritchie said.
“Two miles at Eagle Farm is probably his go I think.
“I don't think Eagle Farm would have to be wet for him to be competitive there but Caloundra probably would, I wouldn't want a good track at Caloundra.”
Roi D'Jeu was initially brought over from New Zealand to contest this year's Sydney Cup [3200m], but Ritchie altered those plans after a taxing travel itinerary.
After he was beaten a nose in the Trentham Stakes (2100m), the gelding was sent to Tasmania for the Hobart Cup (2200m) before joining Ritchie at Warwick Farm.
Were it not for the extensive travel, Roi D'Jeu would've featured over the autumn carnival.
He produced his best run in Australia on Saturday, showing off his wet-track ability when second to top weight Adroitly, who hit the lead in the final few bounds.
Jockey Brenton Avdulla boldly took Roi D'Jeu to the lead at the 800m mark before Adroitly reacted and joined in down the straight.
The pair finished 15 lengths clear of third-placed Reigning.
“I never gave us any sort of hope to beat the winner, I thought we would or should run second but I thought Adroitly over that distance on that sort of track was going to be clearly a better horse than us,” Ritchie said.
“It was a super ride. We had a really good chat beforehand and I said I was real confident he could handle the ground no problem but the two miles concerned me.
“Brenton said that, other than Adroitly, he thought we would beat the others no problem so if they're floundering, given the spread in the weights, he'd just him slide a little bit and then make the other horse carry his weight.
“He did that perfectly I thought.”
