SAHorseracing.com
SAHorseracing.com
Ex De Kock horse wins GEELONG Cup

Almoonqith ran away with the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) from well-tried favourite Dandino, to continue Lindsay Park's fine form.

The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained six-year-old entire stormed into Emirates Melbourne Cup contention, although the camp faces a nervous wait to hear from Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter if he has earned enough of a penalty to make the final field.

Almoonqith won by 1.75 lengths from Dandino, who tracked the winner into the race but could not catch the Lindsay Park runner in the straight - with jockey James McDonald benefitting from cover in running, despite being three-wide the trip.

Hayes said he felt the run was worthy of gaining a start on the first Tuesday of November, with Almoonqith currently 37th in the ballot with an allocated weight of 52kg.

"He looked like a Melbourne Cup horse in the run, didn't he?" Hayes said.

"I thought he (McDonald) might've gone a little bit early, but he knew what he was doing and he won really convincingly.

"If Mr Carpenter gives him the right penalty, yes [he will go to the Cup]. If he gets in the field, he'll go straight in [without another run].

"This is a good guide in recent years, and he's hit form at the right time."

 

Hayes hailed South African trainer Mike de Kock, who handed over Almoonqith to the Hall of Fame trainer's stables after running in the Dubai Gold Cup in March.

"I've got a special thanks to Mike de Kock, champion trainer," Hayes added.

"He thought he'd be beautifully placed in Australia when I went over to Dubai.

"Not often a trainer recommends a horse, and it was very nice that he sent him to me."

McDonald said the horse did the work for him on Wednesday, maintaining a prolonged sprint from the top of the straight.

"He travelled really well, but the thing that impressed me most was his turn of foot," the star Kiwi hoop said.

"When I let him go, he went very quick and sustained it right to the line. Very impressive, and with the Metropolitan form, he was going to be very strong coming here.

"He'll travel really well [in a Melbourne Cup]. You'd like him to relax a length further back, but he'll give them a shake." Racing.com

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