Three-time Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux has shown it is all-systems-go for his next trip to Australia with a fine third in the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.
The winner, Agent Murphy, is likely to head to the Irish St Leger while Red Cadeaux will make his sixth trip to the southern hemisphere.
On his most recent visit he finished second to Criterion in Sydney’s richest race, the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes, in April.
He will once again be accompanied by trainer Ed Dunlop’s travelling foreman Robin Trevor-Jones said he was happy with his performance in Saturday’s 2700m race.
“We’re over the moon with his run. He’s not 100 per cent race fit,” Trevor-Jones said.
“It would have been perfect if he had won but we’ve not shown our hand again to the Australian handicapper, who might be a bit more lenient now.
“We’ll take him back to Chelmsford for a gallop around and then put him in quarantine in Newmarket in September before going back Down Under.”
Dunlop is hoping Red Cadeaux will have a travelling companion with Trip To Paris set to run in the Lonsdale Cup at York on Friday.
Trip To Paris won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot before his third under a big weight behind another Melbourne Cup hopeful Big Orange in the Goodwood Cup.
Big Orange is also scheduled to run at York with trainer Michael Bell keen to come to Australia.
“I have been pleased with him since Goodwood and he goes to York in good shape,” Bell said.
“We are keeping one eye on the ground as he doesn’t want it soft, but I think it is settling down so he should get his conditions come Friday.”
