Well back in the field in the early stages as Zeyrek (FRA) set a furious pace, Cascadian (GB) proved a class above in the $750,000 Group III ATC Craven Plate (1800m) at Randwick.
Too easy for Cascadian (image Steve Hart)
With James McDonald in the saddle, Godolphin’s marvellous servant defeated Just Folk (Magnus) by one and three-quarter lengths, with Promitto a further one and a half-length back in third.
With his sixth stakes success, the dual Group 1 winning son of New Approach (IRE) advances his record to ten wins, five seconds, and seven thirds from 42 starts with earnings of $5,590,575.
Winning trainer James Cummings said the 8yo gelding is in rare form.
“He’s just in a purple patch at present. He came out here to Australia in 2019, His Highness sent him out to us,” Cummings said.
“He was placed in a Group 1 over there. He’s just got better with age, and to back-up like he did today, back to an 1800m, which is probably an ideal distance for him, it was like he just had another burn around Osborne Park.
“He’s probably going to go to Flemington over the carnival down there. There’s a mile race at Flemington over Cup week, so he’s in a rich vein of form. Even his coat, it was better than last start, but still got improvement. Lovely ride by James and a great effort by the team."
James McDonald said Cascadian (GB) leaves nothing on the track.
“He’s a beauty. He gives you so much confidence when you’re out there, even though he’s back in the field," McDonald said.
"You just know he’s going to come with a great turn of foot and whether he gets a gap this big, or that big he’s always going to be there to explode. Obviously, he was very well placed and pretty much was always going to win that race, it was just a matter of timing the run and he’s just in a rich vein of form.”
Cascadian (GB) is a half-brother to three winners, including Albahr, winner of the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine.
The son of Epsom Derby hero New Approach (IRE) is out of the talented Street Cry (IRE) mare Falls Of Lora, whose four wins included the Group III UAE Oaks and the Listed Distaff Stakes at Sandown.
