Nereus set to keep his Cup hopes alive
Aidan Rodley • September 18th, 2024 3:05 PM
Nereus will take an important step to a possible start in the A$9.34 million Melbourne Cup when he runs at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Savabeel gelding tackles Saturday's TAB 2100 as his third run back in a spring preparation that could yet see him at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
Ritchie has an immense opinion of the Waikato Stud-bred and raced five-year-old but while he's setting his spring sights high, the Cambridge trainer is mindful that Nereus' best chance at the Melbourne Cup may be in 2025.
"He's very much on trial for Melbourne this weekend," Ritchie said.
"If he can perform here, he'll be joining Mahrajaan over there and I'm quite looking forward to that – there are some nice races for him over there.
"We've got to get his rating points up and he probably needs to be putting away a field like this to justify a spot over there."
A winner of five of his 11 starts, including the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) at Trentham last April, Nereus was allotted 50kg for the Melbourne Cup (3200m) when weights were released on Tuesday, 2kg less than his New Zealand and Auckland Cups-winning stablemate Mahrajaan.
While Mahrajaan's 3200m Cup wins have qualified him for the race and have him at 42 on the order of entry, Nereus has yet to qualify and languishes at equal 86th on the order of entry.
"It's a longshot but we're trying to set him up for races like that next year," Ritchie said of Nereus.
"He's a high-quality horse but he lacks a bit of experience and obviously at that grade so we don't have any illusions of grandeur but there are some nice races over there that might suit him, perhaps like the Bart Cummings or the Herbert Power and if he can get in on the minimum -- that's where we want him to be.
"In this game, you've got to have a go; you've got to have a dream. We feel like we've got the right horse. He's a very, very good horse."
Ritchie and Murray attempted to qualify Nereus for the A$5.45 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19 when they sent him to Victoria for the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) in April.
He finished a creditable sixth and gained invaluable trans-Tasman travel experience.
The Cambridge training duo sent Nereus for a spell after that race and he has returned with a fifth placing at Ruakaka and a last-start second at Hastings.
"His first-up run was good but he didn't like that shifty track and then at Hastings last time, he was beaten fair and square by Wolfgang but I just feel we should be riding him a little colder," Ritchie said.
"When he won the Awapuni Gold Cup and for his previous wins and good runs, he was ridden a bit colder and he hit the line really well so that's what we'll look to do on Saturday.
"He's taken a good bit of benefit from that last run. His coat has only just turned in the last 10 days. He came home from Hastings and was still quite long in the coat but the colour underneath has really come through now so we're getting close to our peak run so we won't far far away on Saturday anyway."
Nereus possesses a potent blend of class and stamina and Ritchie goes into Saturday's race with an air of expectation.
"First time over ground this time in, that's what we feel he's been looking for," Ritchie said.
"We've been training him more like a stayer than a miler this time around. We felt at a mile last time that he'd sprint well with the blinkers on but that endurance training had kicked in and that should mean he's ready for the step up this weekend."
Meanwhile, Ritchie was delighted with Mahrajaan's progress after two third placings at Ruakaka to start his spring campaign and happy with his 52kg allotment for the Melbourne Cup.
"Nice weight. If he'd got 53 or 54, he'd find it hard to be competitive at that level. If we get in the race, he should be sweet and based on the last two years, 52 kilos should get him into the race," Ritchie said.
"It would be lovely to have a runner but obviously we won't run him if he's not going really well – we don't just want to go around for the sake of it. But we know he runs the two miles out, we know he's at his best at that trip, so let's hope that's the case."
Mahrajaan will tackle the Gr.3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 5 before contesting the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on October 25.
Should Mahrajaan fail to secure a start in the Melbourne Cup on November 5 or Ritchie isn't satisfied with his leadup form, the former European stayer could tackle the newly minted Australian Heritage Cup (2800m) on the Cup undercard.
"He'll go to the Bart Cummings -- I'm keen for him to have a look at Flemington and then almost certainly the Moonee Valley Gold Cup.
"That will be a good race for him at set weights and penalties 10 days out from a Melbourne Cup. If we don't get that far, it's quite nice to have that 2800m race for Australian and New Zealand-trained horses up our sleeve."
Mahrajaan and Nereus are among six New Zealand-trained Melbourne Cup entries, with the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained Sharp 'N' Smart seemingly assured of a start with 53.5kg and a position of 24 on the first order of entry.
The remaining entries are Positivity (50kg, 59th on the order of entry), Trust In You (50kg, 66th) and Good Oil (50kg, 68th).
Photo details:
Nereus crossing as a winner at Trentham in March.
Photo: Race Images NZ
