Melbourne Cup Dream Still Alive for Kingdoms

New Zealand-bred galloper Kingdoms (NZ) (High Chaparral) was successful in the Listed A$100,000 City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday, keeping his Melbourne Cup aspirations alive.

Kingdoms (NZ) (inside) hangs on to win the Listed City Tattersalls Club Cup on Saturday.

The four-year-old was dropping back in grade from his unplaced effort in the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap last start over the same staying journey of 2400m.

The John O’Shea trained gelding was sent to the front from an outside barrier draw by rider Jay Ford and was able to dictate the pace of the race, slowing the field down mid-race.

The son of High Chaparral sprinted coming around the corner but shifted ground outwards all the way down the Randwick straight. The gelding never surrendered the lead and fought off the late finish from Saint Encosta to win by a head.

The second and third placegetters both protested against Kingdoms but the protests were both thrown out by the Stipendiary Stewards and Kingdoms kept the race, however his rider Jay Ford was suspended.

“He enjoyed the staying trip 2400m,” commented O’Shea.

“To be fair he still has a lot of improvement whatever he does, he just needs to learn his craft a bit better.

“If he was to win the Lexus Stakes in a couple of weeks, which will be his next start, he would then qualify for the Melbourne Cup and we definitely take up that option.”

Bred by Bromley Bloodstock Ltd, Kingdoms is the only horse to race out of his dam A Real Princess (O’Reilly), a half-sister to Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Marju Snip (Marju). Kingdoms was purchased at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale by Bart Cummings for $470,000 from Seaton Park.

It was the second win for the lightly tried Kingdoms who has only had 11 starts in his career, earning $279,580 for his owners Mr M W O'keeffe, Mr J L Bromley & Mr G K Lawler. He was placed as a three-year-old in the Group 1 Australian Derby behind fellow High Chaparral horse (It’s a) Dundeel.