Talented import Buckaroo (GB) was one of the WFA stars of last year’s spring carnival and we had a first look at his younger half-brother in the $150,000 VRC Australian Cup Prelude (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday and Middle Earth (GB) did not disappoint.
Now trained by Ciaron Maher, the five year-old son of ill-fated European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion, was a Group III winner in the UK last year and then made his way to Australia for a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup.
Gelded and given a good spell without racing after his arrival last October, he was stepping out for the first time on Saturday and produced a long sustained burst for Mark Zahra to power home and beat his stablemate, the Group I MRC Caulfield Cup winner Duke de Sessa (IRE).
Middle Earth is slated to progress to the $2.5 million Group I VRC Australian Cup, with the Group I ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick two weeks later also a possibility.
“It is great when those really well-credentialled horses come and do that,” Maher said. “The owners are very patient. He could have a run today and be a live Australian Cup hope.
“He’s only going to improve. He’s still furnishing.
“I said to the owners that we’ll let him come on. He lowered his colours a little bit last start (in the UK). He has been gelded and the owners have been very patient.
“I said to Mark (Zahra) before the race to just let it happen instead of trying to make it happen.
“There’s no better, patient rider. He gives the horse confidence.
“He looks like he liked Flemington. I’m sure the horse will improve as first-up over ten-furlongs, it is a good effort by the team.”
Raced previously by Qatar Racing, who still retain a share in his ownership, Middle Earth now rusn for a big group of stable clients and was foaled and raised at Tweenhills in the UK.
He is a half-brother to Group I winner Buckaroo and also stakes-placed Siege of Troy being from stakes-winning Galileo mare Roheryn, a daughter of Group III winning More than Ready mare La Chunga.
His sire Roaring Lion only ever had one crop of foals and of those 88 starters there have been 55 winners highlighted by seven stakes-winners with Group I winner Dubai Mile the best of them.
