Australian Bloodstock's Gold Trip made a memorable return to Flemington by storming home and claiming the group 1 Turnbull Stakes, but it remains unclear which major race comes next for the defending Melbourne Cup champion.
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In what trainer Ciaron Maher described as "probably his best win", Gold Trip hit the accelerator button with around 300 metres remaining and rocketed past his opponents down the middle of the straight.
Saturday's 1.75 lengths victory in the 2000m feature now poses a question for connections in regards to tackling either the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate or both before vying for back-to-back titles on November 7.
Gold Trip jockey Mark Zahra weighed into the debate during a trackside interview with Racing Victoria media.
"He's got to go to the Cox Plate doesn't he? Surely. They were a few of his major rivals there and the way he won, why wouldn't you go there?" Zahra said.
Gold Trip is nominated for both the Caulfield Cup (2400m) in a fortnight and the Cox Plate (2040m) on October 28.
In 2022, upon arriving in Australia, the seven-year-old French import was fifth in the Turnbull, second in the Caulfield Cup and ninth in the Cox Plate before taking out the Melbourne Cup.
"That was probably his best win, if you can say that about a Melbourne Cup winner. He was dynamic today [Saturday] and very impressive," Maher told Racing Victoria media at Flemington.
Australian Bloodstock also had a win at Kembla Grange on Saturday courtesy of Nathan Doyle-prepared Midnight Opal.
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees scored a Queensland double on Saturday via Blackcomb at Eagle Farm and Lady Townson on the Gold Coast while Pier Pressure saluted at Hawkesbury on Sunday.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
