Roadcone delivers Caulfield double for Almanzor

[Wandering Eyes]

Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor was credited with a winning double at Caulfield Heath on Saturday when Roadcone held on for an all-the-way victory in the A$130,000 Magic Millions Digital Handicap (1500m).

Almanzor opened his account with up-and-comer Touchdown in the first race on Saturday’s card, and Roadcone followed suit to improve his own record to 16 starts for five wins, four placings and A$251,364 in stakes.

Trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman identified Saturday’s Benchmark 78 handicap as a key target this time in for Roadcone, who had previously shown his effectiveness third-up in a campaign with a dominant win by four and a half lengths at Pakenham in May. He had finished second over 1200m and fourth over 1400m in his two previous appearances of that preparation.

Moody and Coleman hoped for something similar again this time around, having sent out Roadcone for a first-up fifth over 1200m at Geelong and then a fourth over 1400m at Caulfield.

Roadcone was ridden on Saturday by Luke Cartwright, who pressed forward from his wide gate and managed to get to the lead and cross to the rail within the first 200m. Roadcone was able to dictate terms from there and then kick hard off the home turn to open up a big lead.

Knobelas emerged from the pack and began to eat into Roadcone’s margin with big strides late in the piece, but Roadcone dug deep and held on in a tight finish.

“The heart rate definitely went up in that last little bit,” Coleman said. “The second horse was huge and probably would have got us in a few more strides.

“We were aided by a fantastic ride from Luke Cartwright there. I thought he rated him really well in front and we were able to sneak it late.

“He’s a funny horse – there’s not much of him, but he always takes a couple of runs to get fit, and I think we see the best of him third-up.

“Our racing manager Jeff O’Connor identified this race for him a few weeks back. He thought 1500m would be ideal for him, and it’s a plan that’s paid off today. Credit to everyone involved.”

Roadcone was bred by Bob Emery and is out of the So You Think mare On The Ball, who placed at two for Murray Baker before a career-ending injury.

Baker went to $120,000 to purchase Roadcone from Woburn Farm’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022 on behalf of part-owners John Rattray and Alastair Lawrence. Roadcone is a half-brother to Listed winner and Group One-placed Archaic Smile, while his yearling half-sister by Too Darn Hot made $675,000 last year at Karaka.

Curraghmore will offer another half-sister to Roadcone at Karaka 2026 next month, with a filly by Ghaiyyath going through the ring as Lot 23 in the Book 1 session.

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