BEST Solution will head for the Lexus Melbourne Cup in great heart after a tremendous performance in winning the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained colt was landing his third Group 1 event in a row and dug very deep to just prevail from Homesman in the tightest of photo finishes.
Given a superb ride by Pat Cosgrave, the Godolphin-owned runner found things against him from the start, missing the break from his wide draw, but was coolly manoeuvred into a good position.
Kicking rounding the turn with two furlongs to run, Cosgrave’s mount answered every call as the challengers loomed large, and got the verdict by a short-head.
The Cliffsofmoher (Cliffs Of Moher) was third for Aidan O’Brien, with the Andrew Balding-trained Duretto fourth.
What a warrior! Best Solution wins the Caulfield Cup for Godolphin and Saeed Bin Suroor. He had previously won two Group 1 prizes in Germany this year by a neck and was at it again in Australia. pic.twitter.com/6c0ig3haMd
— Racing UK (@racing_uk) October 20, 2018
Bin Suroor, who teamed up with Cosgrave to win the Ladbrokes Stakes with Benbatl last weekend, told Racing.com: “It was Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to send him to Australia after he won two Group 1s in Germany and it is a brilliant result for him.
“The horse is doing good and the Melbourne Cup is a big race, it’s another dream for us, but we will try.”
Cosgrave said: “It’s been a wonderful week. It wasn’t an ideal start and he was slow away, but I ended up getting a good position halfway down the back straight.
“It was quick early for the first 400 metres, then they dawdled down to the 600 and that’s why I kicked early – my horse is a good stayer.
“He’s been a wonderful horse for me over the last 18 months and hopefully we can go on to Melbourne now.
“It was a good day today, he toughed it out well. There’s another half-mile to go (in the Melbourne Cup), but we’ll enjoy today first, come back to Melbourne and see how we go.”
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