Contributer out for third Group 1 win in Queen Elizabeth

Godolphin’s Contributer (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) is widely expected to record a fourth consecutive victory and third at the highest level when he faces the starter in Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. The handsome bay, who was a dual Listed winner in the UK, has magnificently adapted to his new surroundings and was most impressive when taking the G1 Ranvet S. Mar. 21 courtesy of a devastating turn of foot. However, the blossoming import finds himself up against the stiffest opposition since relocating Down Under, with nine other Group 1 winners lining up for the feature event on day two of The Championships. The rating of the 2000-meter Queen Elizabeth S. has progressed steadily since 2008, and the race’s appeal received an additional boost last year with the creation of The Championships, which saw its purse jumping from A$500,000 to a whopping A$4 million, the richest prize money in the world for a turf race over the distance. Chris Waller, who saddles three runners in this year’s renewal, has described the Queen Elizabeth as ‘the new Cox Plate’.

The trio of Waller trainees is precisely led by Coolmore’s Cox Plate hero Adelaide (Ire), who will be making his second and final start in Australia before embarking on a return flight to Ballydoyle. The globe-trotting 4-year-old won the GI Secretariat S. last term and made a major impression when storming from last to first in the Spring Carnival’s leading weight-for-age contest. Waller has however expressed doubts about his charge’s ability to cope with soft ground, with showers expected over Sydney Friday and Saturday. “Aidan said he needs the ground to be vibrating under him to be at his best,”, the trainer told Racenet. 

The Japanese pair Tosen Stardom (Jpn) and To The World (Jpn) both bumped into a Godolphin import on their Australian debut–Contributer in the Ranvet and Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) in the G1 BMW respectively–and will be bidding to emulate their compatriot Real Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who struck gold in the G1 George Ryder S. To The World was the subject of a jockey controversy this week after connections expressed discontent about Nick Hall’s ride in the BMW and opted to call upon Hong Kong ace Zac Purton for Saturday’s race. Hall brought the case before Racing New South Wales stewards, arguing that he had been engaged to partner the horse in both Group 1 contests, and has been entitled to a winning or losing riding fee which could amount to A$118,800 in case of victory by To The World.

More international flavor comes courtesy of Ed Dunlop’s Red Cadeaux (GB), who eventually opted for this race instead of the two-mile G1 Sydney Cup. “We came to the conclusion that two miles on a soft track might be hard on him,” said Dunlop who landed in Sydney Thursday. “I went to see him as soon as I got here and he is bright and happy and looks well,” the trainer continued. Worse than the likelihood of soft ground, Dunlop’s main worry is his former charge Contributer. “We had Contributer in the stable and I thought he would be a Melbourne Cup horse but he was sold to Sheikh Mohammed and now we are racing against him,” he said. “That’s the way it goes. The amount of money that is on offer for our stayers to race in Australia is too much to turn down.”  

David Hayes and Tom Dabernig send out a pair of live chances in Spillway (GB), the narrow winner of the G1 Australian Cup last time out, and Criterion (NZ), who only found Real Impact too good in the George Ryder S.