Red Cardinal to follow Protectionist path
Red Cardinal is likely to follow a similar program to Protectionist towards a start in the Melbourne Cup.
Trained in Germany by Andreas Wohler, Red Cardinal is the $15 equal favourite with Francis Of Assisi for the Melbourne Cup following his win in the Belmont Gold Cup in New York on the weekend.
Like the Wohler-trained 2014 Cup winner, Red Cardinal is owned by Australian Bloodstock.
Jamie Lovett, a director of Australian Bloodstock, said there were many things that could go wrong before Red Cardinal made his way to Australia.
“He will have gone to America, back to Europe, over to France, back to Newmarket and then to Werribee,” Lovett told Melbourne radio RSN927.
“There’s so many things that can go wrong.
“They should all be 50-1 to make the race let alone being that tight ($15) in the market.”
Lovett said the plan was to head to the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville in August and then if they decided to press on to the Melbourne Cup he would contest the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield in October.
Protectionist won the Prix Kergorlay before entering quarantine to make the trip to Australia.
He ran fourth in the Herbert Power before his Cup win.
Lovett said it was difficult to compare Red Cardinal and Protectionist.
He said Protectionist was well exposed when they bought him whereas Red Cardinal had been racing in handicaps in the United Kingdom.
“Until we purchased this horse he hadn’t run in a Group race,” Lovett said.
“He’s since run in two Group Threes, a Group Two and a Group One.
“He’s taken a quantum leap but he’s still got to lift the bar to run in the money in a Melbourne Cup.”