Kiwi Prince Hanging onto Cup Dream

A start in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup is still a possibility for kiwi stayer Prince of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire) following a strong victory in the Group 2 A$250,000 Racing.com Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Saturday.

Prince of Penzance (NZ) triumphs in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

A 2kg penalty for the Melbourne Cup was issued to Prince of Penzance following Saturday’s victory, taking him to 30th in the order of entry. Trainer Darren Weir and connections will now have to wait to see if enough horses pull out of the race that stops a nation for their galloper to gain a start.

“There would have to be a few fall by the wayside for him to get a start,” commented Weir. “If he doesn’t get a start in that he will go the Queen Elizabeth.”

Prince of Penzance’s victory in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup is the sixth win by a kiwi stayer in the past eight running’s of the race.

Starting from the outside barrier, rider Michelle Payne elected to take Prince of Penzance to the tail of the field and settled there for most of the 2500m journey.

Inside the final 600m the field bunched together and Prince of Penzance, despite still being last, was within striking distance. The son of Pentire got a split near the rails in the straight and let down with a strong run to overhaul Le Roi (Aerion) and Au Revior (Singspiel) for a 1.2 length victory.

“The way he ran through the line at Mornington we knew the trip wouldn’t be a problem,” said Weir. “He might be just a run below the top stayers but he is quite a handy one that is getting better as he gets older.”

Saturday’s victory was Prince of Penzance’s sixth win from 16 starts. The five-year-old has earned $452,690 for his owners Galadi, Mr A Mcgregor, Dalton Racing, Men In Hats Syndicate, Winning Five Syndicate, Wilawl Go Racing Syndicate & Mr A T Broadfoot.

Bred by Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd & Rich Hill Thoroughbreds Ltd, Prince of Penzance is out of imported Mr Prospector mare Royal Successor, a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Only Royale (Carleon).

John Foote Bloodstock purchased Prince of Penzance for $50,000 from the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale from Rich Hill Stud.