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Azuro Lasts the Journey to Win the Stayer’s Cup

Imported stayer Azuro has shown his toughness to win the Stayer’s Cup at Rosehill over the weekend, one of few races left on the Australian calendar over the 3200 metres prior to the Melbourne Cup.

The former French horse was sent out the $5 favourite on Saturday and lived up to his reputation to claim a second Australian win for OTI Racing.

He is trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who have a Sydney stable at Warwick Farm. But Annabel Neasham, who runs the Sydney stable, said Azuro was a product of the trainers’ Ballarat operation.

“It was a long old race,” Neasham said. “We were pretty confident although the heavy track was a bit of an unknown. It was heavy when he raced at Flemington but not as heavy as today. You don’t get much opportunity to run over two miles and he ran it strongly today

“Ballarat is a really good facility for training stayers and he was fit even though it’s five weeks between runs.”

Glyn Schofield rode Azuro, who took the lead in the home straight and held off Doukhan by a half-length.

“He toughed it out really well,” Schofield said. “First and foremost I got him to relax. He over-raced with the blinkers last start so it was important today to get him to switch off and run the trip through.

“He did that and he’s only got a short dash but he kept rolling along and he toughed it out.”

Originally trained in France by Christophe Lotoux, Azuro won four races in his former homeland up to 2200m.

He finished second to stablemate Yogi in last year’s Sandown Cup, also over 3200m. Azuro also ran in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes on May 25, finishing sixth with the winner Steel Prince who is now exempt from a ballot on the Melbourne Cup in November.

Having proven himself at 3200 metres, Azuro will be given the chance to add to his Stayer’s Cup win over the distance. The gelding will now head to Brisbane for the Listed Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm on July 20.

Annabel Neasham, who runs the Sydney stable for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, said the Queensland Cup was now a logical option.

The Sydney Cup and the Auckland Cup are the only other two Group One races apart from the Melbourne Cup over 3200m in Australasia.

To view the race replay please press the play button below:

 

Article: AAP+/ Just Horse Racing