Melbourne Cup Dreaming for Athabascan

Mark Smith - Saturday September 23

OTI Racing’s import Athabascan (FR) made it back-to-back stakes wins when capturing Saturday’s Group III James Squire Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill.

Two on the bounce for Athabascan (image Steve Hart)

Ridden by Tom Sherry for John O’Shea, the 5-year-old son of Almanzor (FR) finished resolutely to defeat the Sea The Star gelding Al Aabir (IRE) by a short neck with another son of Sea The Stars, Desert Icon (FR), the same distance back in third.

Coming off a win in the $200,000 Listed CTC Cup (2400m) at Randwick, Athabascan (FR) advances his record to three wins, two seconds, and four thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $408,427.  

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“Gelding him has really helped him, as has a little bit of time,” O’Shea said.

“But he’s a real good stayer, and I’ve always felt he was a nice horse with a future and he’s starting to repay us.

“He’ll go to the Bart Cummings (Stakes); we want a ticket into the big one (Melbourne Cup). He’s a young stayer at the top of his game and will take the power of beating in a couple of weeks.

“He’ll relish that. You saw him there today; he never touched the bridle, and he’s got a great turn of speed. He’s got 51 (kgs) I think in the Cup; we’ve just got to get him in there.”

A half-brother to Group 1 ATC Tancred Stakes winner Arapaho (Lope de Vega), Athabascan (FR) sports the silks of OTI Racing.

Next stop Flemington (image Steve Hart)

Athabascan (FR) was Listed-placed three times in France for Andre Fabre.

In addition to Athabascan (FR) and Arapaho, the stakes-winning Dansil mare Azabara produced the Listed Saint-Cloud Prix Dahlia winner Alula Borealis (Kendargent).

Athabascan (FR) is one of ten stakes-winner for Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (FR), a 3-time Group 1 winning son of Wootton Bassett (GB).

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Race Result - James Squire Colin Stephen Quality Gr3 2400m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 2:29.13
1
Athabascan
- 5g Almanzor (FR) x Alzubra (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: Tom Sherry 55
2
0.2
Al Aabir
- 5g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Wo De Xin (GB) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Moreira 54.5
3
0.4
Desert Icon
- 8g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Plume Rose (GB) (Marchand De Sable (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Ryan Moore 58.5
4
0.9
Sir Lucan
- 6g Camelot (GB) x Sparrow (IRE) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Regan Bayliss 58.5
5
2.1
Little Mix
- 5m Mahisara (AUS) x Girls Aloud (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: K Mc Evoy 53
6
3.3
Fancy Man
- 6g Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Fancy (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: A Hyeronimus 57.5
7
3.5
Outlandos
- 7g Dissident (AUS) x Rocksan (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Rachel King 53
8
4.8
Alegron
- 5g Teofilo (IRE) x Alegria (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: N Rawiller 59
9
6.4
Verona
- 5m Belardo (IRE) x Spamalot (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Zac Lloyd 53
10
6.5
True Marvel
- 8g Masked Marvel (GB) x Anecdotique (FR) (Enrique (GB))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 56
11
7.0
Fay's Angels
- 4m Anacheeva (AUS) x Mo Vo (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: Ms K Owen Rdr: Madeline Owen 53
12
16.6
Southern France
- 9g Galileo (IRE) x Alta Anna (FR) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 54.5
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