Caravan Rolls On to Sydney Cup
Trainer Danny O’Brien has revealed that imported stayer Caravan Rolls On will be set for the leading staying events, like the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), during the 2014 Autumn Racing Carnival.
Caravan Rolls On made his Australian racing debut for British trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam in the Carnival Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and finished third behind Mujadale and Like A Carousel after being positioned at the tail of the field by English jockey Jamie Spencer.
The Hernando entire returned to the races just over a week later in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) and was given a perfect ride by Craig Williams to win the true staying test by almost two lengths from Like A Carousel and Crafty Cruiser.
Caravan Rolls On joined the stable of O’Brien immediately after his victory in the Sandown Cup and has spent the last fortnight in the spelling paddock at the trainer’s Barwon Heads property and will remain there until the end of the year before returning to begin preparations for races like the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) and Sydney Cup.
"He has been down at Barwon Heads since the Saturday he won at Caulfield," O’Brien told Racing Ahead on RSN.
"He is just poking around down there and he is in good shape.
"We will give him a bit of time until Christmas and then we will bring him down to Flemington.
"We will have a look at some of the staying races in the autumn with him."
Caravan Rolls On exclusively competed in handicap’s in England before coming to Australia and has now won races from 1200 metres up to 3200 metres; an impressive feat for a horse that was clearly bred to stay.
The five-year-old recorded his maiden race win in the Median Auction Maiden Stakes (2011m) at Lingfield at the start of 2011 and added a second victory in the Ladbrokes Henry Alken Handicap (2380m) at Leicester in May.
He recorded arguably his most impressive win in the Book Now For Christmas Handicap over 1200 metres in Wolverhampton in September 2011 and extended his winning streak with victories in the Racing UK Handicap (2615m) at Newmarket and the Ladbrokes Mallard Stakes (2937m) at Doncaster.
Caravan Rolls On was unable to end his British racing career with a victory, finishing 11th behind Tiger Cliff in the Ebor Handicap (2816m) at York on August 24, but has been able to quickly acclimatize to Australian racing conditions.
O’Brien has not had much previous success in the Sydney Cup; with his previous runners Master O’Reilly (eighth in 2009) and Demerger (tenth in 2006) both missing the placings.
Story by Thomas Hackett, to view horseracing.com.au full story click here
Photo by Bruno Cannatelli, to view Bruno's website click here