Williams tests Melbourne Cup favourite in Japan

Brad Waters - Monday September 11

Leading jockey Craig Williams has made a quick trip to Japan to get a feel of Australian-owned Melbourne Cup hopeful Admire Deus.

Craig Williams made a quick trip to Japan to test a Melbourne Cup ride. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Admire Deus is in pre-quarantine training at Northern Farm in Japan and Williams hopped aboard the Australian Bloodstock-syndicated Admire Deus on Monday morning.

It is too early for jockeys to commit to Melbourne Cup rides but Australian Bloodstock co-founder Jamie Lovett told the Herald-Sun that representatives of new trainer Darren Weir are happy with the horse.

"If he likes the horse, it makes sense he would ride it because he rides for us," Lovett said.

"The guys who are currently with the horse are rapt with him.

"He's a very clean-winded and a very sound horse."

As Racenet reported on August 30, Admire Deus will travel to Australia in time to have a lead-up run in either the Group I Caulfield Stakes (2000m) or Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Admire Deus appeared on the Melbourne Cup radar after his fourth in the Group I Tenno Sho Spring (3200m) in April to be a $15 equal favourite with Almandin, Bonneval and Tiberian in CrownBet's latest market on the 2017 event.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Impressive Debut Win for Churchill 3YO
Just days after Churchill (IRE) sired the second highest priced horse sold at the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale when his colt from Bagitol fetched $775,000, a talented three year-old bought from the same sale last year kicked off his career with a super impressive debut win.
Stakes-Winning Debut for $1.3million Snitzel Colt
Exciting Snitzel colt Return To Conquer headed into his raceday debut in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) with a big price tag, big reputation and big expectations, and the million-dollar colt produced a Pukekohe performance worthy of the hype.
Luberon Keeps Winning Run Going for Cambridge Stud
Quality mare Luberon put a classy field of sprinters to the sword at Pukekohe on Saturday when she dashed away in the closing stages to score a handsome victory in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m).
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.
Royal Winner Bred on Magic Cross
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross is a formidable one and has produced this spring’s elite Group I winners Via Sistina (IRE) and Buckaroo (GB) with another lightly raced import bred the same way opening his account at Kembla on Saturday carrying the colours of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Savabeel Stayer wins G3 Counties Cup
Promising stayer Nereus put his current campaign back on track when he captured an action packed Gr.3 TAB Counties Cup (2100m) on Saturday.
Wings Of Song Makes Stunning Return
A star of the carnivals in Tasmania and South Australia, Wings Of Song made a triumphant return from a 30-week break to capture Saturday’s Rosemont Stud Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
Stakes Potential for Cambridge Stud Homebred Mare Frostfair
Luberon’s heroics in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m) gave trainer Lance Noble reason to expect something special from her trackwork companion Frostfair in the very next race on the card at Pukekohe on Saturday, and so it proved.