Aussie raider storms home in Auckland Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

Australian trainer Henry Dwyer crossed the Tasman with two horses earlier this week and he nearly went home with the perfect result at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Stable sprinter Cote Atlantique (Kodiac) was runner-up behind Sweynesday in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m), but stablemate Paradise Storm (Masked Marvel) wasn’t to be denied in the Gr.2 Trackside Auckland Cup (3200m), storming home to a dominant 6-1/4 length victory.

Racing three-wide with cover, Joe Doyle wasn’t content with the sedate pace in the race, sending his charge forward down the back straight to sit outside leader Just Charlie. Paradise Storm loomed ominously at the turn and shot away from the pack when asked the question by Doyle and carried OTI Racing’s silks to a commanding win.

“Fair play to Henry, he was spot on about this horse,” Doyle said. “He said if he gets a bit chewy, he would rather I see him going with him, and to be honest I couldn’t hold him any longer. He was bang fit for today.

“They attacked early at the 800m, and I thought ‘we have got going a bit here’, when I heard George (Simon, commentator) I looked at the big screen and he was obviously just too good.”

Dwyer, who is accumulating an envious international record, having tasted success in the Northern Hemisphere with Group One winner Asfoora (Flying Artie), was rapt to get another international success, having initially intended on tackling Monday’s Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) with Paradise Storm.

“It is just terrific. Winning a cup overseas somewhere just takes it to another level,” he said. “There is so much more that goes into it and so much more that can go wrong. On a risk to reward scenario, it is just a massive thrill.

“The intention was always to go to the Adelaide Cup. I don’t even remember nominating the horse for this race and then Craig (Baker, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing) rang me up and I asked what it was worth and he said $600,00, so I said we better go there then.”

Dwyer was full of praise for Doyle’s ride and he was pleased that he rode to instructions.

“He has always been a horse that when they back the tempo off he is going to get keen,” he said. “Joe was cognisant of that and we spoke about it before the race that if the tempo does come out of it, get going a bit and get rolling into the race because you are just pulling against him and using his energy when you don’t need to.

“I loved how he did it though, he waited until they got to the top of the hill and then he got going downhill. He got outside the leader and they got rolling, he kept his cool and then he ran away from them.

“It was the first time at two miles for us, and he saw it out beautifully.”

Having now won the Auckland Cup, Dwyer is now eyeing some Group One two-mile races on home soil with the French-bred gelding.

“We thought the Sydney Cup might be the go on the way through, but if he is qualified for a Melbourne Cup, it’s an aspirational game, so why wouldn’t you?”

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