KEY POINTS:
New Zealand mare Princess Coup gave notice she is the horse to beat in next month's Australian Cup with a stunning victory in yesterday's Group Two St George Stakes at Caulfield.
She showed a lightning turn of foot, bursting to the front in the straight to win by
half a length from Sirmione with Douro Valley two lengths away third.
Trainer Mark Kavanagh and jockey Steven Arnold were at a loss to explain Maldivian's inexplicable failure, the Zabeel star a tiring sixth which has almost certainly dethroned him as the Australian Cup favourite.
"He's a little bit soft, maybe," Kavanagh said. "I thought he would go better than that."
Maldivian had the run of the race in third place in the 1800m feature and Arnold was confident he was going to win when he charged through on the rails to lead at the 600m.
"You would have to say he was a bit disappointing," Arnold said.
"I thought he would be hard to beat but he gave out in the last furlong (200m)."
Maldivian was still in front at the 200m but Princess Coup, who had been worse than midfield, answered the call from jockey Damien Oliver and charged home out wide.
The Bart Cummings-trained Mackinnon Stakes winner Sirmione made a race of it in the last 100m but just died on his run while Douro Valley, who had been pushed out by Princess Coup on the turn, rallied to finish third.
New Zealand trainer Mark Walker said Princess Coup had a minimal break after finishing 13th in last year's Melbourne Cup but had trained on well since her first-up fourth to Shinzig in the Group One CF Orr Stakes (1400m) on February 9.
"It is very pleasing," Walker said. "We are building towards the Australian Cup and it looks like we are well on target."
Oliver had been confident she would win after galloping her at Moonee Valley last Monday.
"We are thinking long-term and took her there [to Moonee Valley] hoping one day we can bring her back for the Cox Plate."
Oliver said Princess Coup had amazing acceleration. "It was a terrific run and she is really putting it together now."
While the Australian Cup is the obvious target, Oliver is pushing for her campaign to be extended to Sydney where the Group One The BMW (2400m) beckons.
"It is the perfect race for her being 2400m, weight-for-age, and don't have to compete with the Europeans," Oliver said.
Walker said a Sydney campaign was under consideration but not a priority at this stage.
"We will let the dust settle in a couple of weeks before we decide," Walker said.
Princess Coup has won 10 of her 25 starts including the Group One Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings before a third to Master O'Reilly and Douro Valley in the Caulfield Cup.
She turned the tables on Sirmione who she finished second to in the Mackinnon Stakes leading into the Melbourne Cup.
- AAP