Tiberian firms for Melbourne Cup following Deauville win

Darryl Sherer - Monday August 28

Tiberian firmed in betting for the 2017 Melbourne Cup following his victory in Sunday's Group II Grand Prix de Deauville (2500m).

Advertisement
Tiberian (inside) winning the Prix de Reux. Photo: France Galop

Tiberian defeated Doha Dream last time out in the Group III Prix de Reux over 2500m at Deauville when leading most of the way and the pair fought out the finish again at the weekend.

Olivier Peslier made a forward move at halfway to position Tiberian in third place as Mille Et Mille set a slow speed.

The race developed into a sprint home, Doha Dream taking the lead 400m out with Peslier challenging inside the final 200m and coaxing Tiberian to a short neck victory under 60kg.

Godolphin-owned Frontiersman, an early favourite for the 2017 Melbourne Cup, was last around the home turn and passed one horse on the run in, the trip completed in 2:44.68 on a track rated good.

Now part-owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, the Alain Couetil-trained Tiberian earned €114,000 ($A171,157) for the win and has won four of his five starts in 2017.

ATB principal Darren Dance said the horse has exceeded expectations this year.

"We think we've got the right horse at the right time," Dance said. "We bought into the horse in December last year thinking this horse would be the one for the race in 2018 but since then we lost Heartbreak City and Tiberian has been brilliant this preparation."

Dance said a decision on who rides Tiberian in Australia will be made when weights are declared.

"We were thinking he might get around 54kg before Sunday's win but things might change now," Dance said. "If he was to get 55kg then it opens up the range for a lot more jockeys so we'll just wait and see.

"I like riders who have ridden in the race, are aware of Australian racing and the tactics so we'll just see how things go with the weight."

Couetil told Equidia the five-year-old entire is still improving.

"Last time, with so few runners, I left tactics to Olivier and he made all but today I asked him to wait and get cover because he is better being ridden like that," Couetil said.

"He has a good turn of foot and knows how to quicken, plus he loves fast ground and gives me the impression he is getting better and better.

"He enters quarantine in Newmarket on September 13 and two weeks later will fly to Australia to prepare for the Melbourne Cup."

Nominations for the 2017 Melbourne Cup close at midday on Tuesday. Sportsbet has Tiberian available at $21 with Almandin now favourite at $15.

You can watch the race below, Tiberian in the blue jacket, pink sleeves.

Advertisment
More Reading...
$1.5Million Snitzel Colt Tops MM Book 1 Friday Finale
A stunning Snitzel colt, the first foal of former glamour racemare Vangelic, topped Day Four of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Friday.
Bennett Racing Win $1million MM Subzero with Blueblood Snitzanova
After a busy week of buying, the brilliance of Ciaron Maher was on show at the Gold Coast on Saturday when he saddled up Snitzanova to win the $1 million Queensland Magic Millions Subzero (2200m) - a Snitzel bred to stay!
Bivouac 2YO Double Kicks Off Big Day of Racing
While Saturday’s focus is on the lucrative Magic Millions race day at the Gold Coast Turf Club, the opening races at both Flemington and Rosehill were won in impressive style by two-year-old Bivouac colts, Big Sky and Outspan.
Dirty Work 3YO Wins $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden
Widden Stud’s Dirty Work can throw a good looking horse and there aren’t many better looking that talented three year-old gelding Melanite.
Sires With Winners - Friday January 16
Here is the full list of 50 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Bargain Tassort Filly Wins $500,000 MM Debut
Local trainer Paul Shailer turned $36,000 into $300,000 in less than a minute when speedy filly Toorak Jewel made a statement in $500,000 The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions The Debut Plate (1000m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
New SW Proisir - Fairy Dream wins G3 Desert Gold
Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood sent a pair of up-and-coming three-year-old fillies to Trentham on Saturday for the time-honoured Gr.3 NZB Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and received the perfect return when they formed the quinella in the event after a thrilling home straight battle.
Doctor Askar Wins G2 Thorndon Mile
Expat Irish jockey Joe Doyle scored an emotional victory in front of his visiting parents at Trentham on Saturday when taking out the Gr.2 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) aboard Doctor Askar.
Two Features in Seven Days for a Real Poster Girl
Poster Girl landed a lucrative Magic Millions double in the space of a week when she clung on to win Saturday’s $1 million TAB Magic Millions Fillies and Mares (1300m) at the Gold Coast.
Itish Bred Camelot wins G3 Totara Lodge Trentham Stakes
Trentham has long been Michael and Matthew Pitman’s favourite track, and that sentiment was further enhanced on Saturday after they recorded a memorable double at the Upper Hutt track.