Racing: French raider rockets into Cup reckoning

Photo / Richard Robinson

GEELONG - French-trained stayer Americain became one of the great Geelong Cup winners and a leading Melbourne Cup contender when he shouldered the highest weight to victory in 44 years.

Ridden by champion French jockey Gerald Mosse, the striking 6-year-old looked as if he would never get a run yesterday, snookered on the rails with 58kg on his back, but got through a gap in the straight to score by a long head in a memorable finish.

The $11 chance held off a late finish from Warrnambool galloper Moudre ($5.50 fav) to score by a long head with Exceptionally ($6.50) a half-length away third.

Dual Australian Cup winner and 1965 Caulfield Cup third placegetter Craftsman (1966), who carried 60.5kg, is the only horse to carry a bigger weight to victory in the Geelong Cup since it became a spring race in 1947.

Americain is now one of the Melbourne Cup favourites, firming from $18 to the third line of betting at $11 with TAB Sportsbet.

Part-owner and Jayco boss Gerry Ryan said Americain, who hadn't raced since the end of August, was expected to need the hitout in the Geelong Cup and that the win was "a great surprise".

"We never had this [win] marked down," Ryan said.

"This is a bonus.

"He [Mosse] was just out to give him a good hitout today and if there was a chance he could win it he would go for it. It was a fantastic ride.

"He did a lot of work and we did back him. A lot of people didn't.

"I think there is a bit of improvement in him, hopefully in two weeks' time."

The Geelong Cup has became a terrific Melbourne Cup guide in the past decade, but only Media Puzzle (2002) has won the Geelong-Melbourne Cup double in the same year.

American-bred by Dynaformer, Americain is the third horse Ryan and another leading businessman, Kevin Bamford, have bought in the quest to have a Melbourne Cup runner.

"We had a bit of bad luck with the first one when he ran through a fence and the second one could run three miles but there weren't three-mile races for it," Ryan said.

They bought Americain after he lost form when he campaigned in America and he has won his past four starts for them, including the listed Du Carrousel (3000m) and the group two Kergorlay (3000m) from Manighar, who was a close fifth in last Saturday's Caulfield Cup.

Ryan said trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre would arrive from France in the days leading up to the Melbourne Cup to polish Americain up for the 3200m.

Mosse said he was confident Americain would run well at Geelong and was thrilled with his performance.

"This is the first time he has participated in Australia and he showed me that he has huge ability," Mosse said.

He said it was a rough race but Americain weathered the buffeting and dashed through the gap when it came.

"I wait for my time and when I get through [it was] no race," he said.

"He is a beautiful animal and is in perfect shape. He will be strong in the Melbourne Cup."

Luca Cumani, who trained 2008 Geelong Cup winner Bauer, ran out of luck with Drunken Sailor who pulled up with a blood-soaked near-front hoof.

The same hoof caused him to be scratched from the Caulfield Cup and jockey Brett Prebble said it contributed to his downfall at Geelong with him finishing 11th.

"I thought he was going to win the race at 650m but he was the first horse beaten after that," he said.

"His foot was in a terrible way with a lot of blood coming out of it.

"He wasn't that comfortable coming back."

* The Lee Freedman-trained Milestone has had his Victoria Derby quote halved after winning the Geelong Classic. The Redoute's Choice colt firmed from $61 to $31 with TAB Sportsbet, improving Freedman's chances of a fourth Derby win at Flemington on October 30.

Ridden by Craig Williams, Milestone relaxed well in fourth place and in a determined run to the line snatched victory in a photo-finish from the Rick Hore-Lacy-trained Perfect Pecs and Saddle The Stars who ran on well from last to finish a length away third.

Freedman's racing manager Sam Pritchard-Gordon said Milestone was a progressive horse.

"He is a good-actioned horse who does well around the stable and he's got the constitution to step up," Pritchard-Gordon said.

"He [Williams]) got him to settle which he probably didn't do in Adelaide [when fifth in the Hill-Smith Stakes] and, consequently, he was able to finish the race off.

"He was under vigorous riding mind, he still doesn't know what he's doing yet but he is an entire colt by Redoute's Choice, so he deserves his crack at the classic."

Williams said the Derby was a logical target.

"The way he toughed it out and settled I would say they have no other option but to go that way."

Hore-Lacy confirmed the Derby was also the mission for Perfect Pecs.

The last Derby winner to come out of the Geelong Classic was Rebel Raider two years ago.

He finished third at Geelong before scoring at long odds in the classic.

Freedman's three Derby winners are Mahogany (1993), Portland Player (1996) and Benicio (2005).

* Sydney jockey Corey Brown will honour Stathi Katsidis by wearing the jockey's signature riding pants and goggles aboard Shoot Out in Saturday's Cox Plate. Brown said he felt privileged to be asked to partner Shoot Out after the sudden death of Katsidis, the horse's regular rider, in Brisbane on Tuesday.

And Brown is only too happy to sport the jockey's silks at Moonee Valley at the request of Katsidis' fiancee Melissa Jackson.

"I've got no doubt Stathi will be riding alongside me," Brown said.

"I actually had a phone call from his fiancee this morning asking if I'd wear his silks.

"So not only am I going to have him riding on my back, but I'm going to have his name on the side of my pants."

- AAP