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Racing

Maher’s Melbourne Cup ambitions for Relentless Voyager

Longer trips bring the best out of import with November glory in mind.

RELENTLESS VOYAGER winning the Ranvet Travis Harrison Cup at Moonee Valley in Australia.
RELENTLESS VOYAGER winning the Ranvet Travis Harrison Cup at Moonee Valley in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

Syndicators Australian Bloodstock may have another Melbourne Cup prospect on their hands with import Relentless Voyager stamping his staying credentials at Moonee Valley in the Travis Harrison Cup.

Carrying 61.5-kilos over the 2040-metre trip with Mark Zahra aboard, Ciaron Maher– who won the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with Gold Trip for the ownership in 2022 – is eyeing Australia's most famous race again with the well-travelled six-year-old gelding who has now raced in England, Italy and Australia.

"That was a fair bit of weight today and we think that once he gets up in trip he should improve and his exposed form tell you that," assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said of the galloper who was placed in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes (2414m) at Goodwood 12 months ago.

"He's just starting to show his true colours now as he is getting fitter and out further next start, hopefully he can improve again.

The Annabel and Rob Neasham-trained Nellie Leylax ($3.70) looked to have the race in his keeping until Relentless Warrior ($8.50) dashed impressively to win by 1¼-lengths with stablemate Sayedaty Sadaty ($2.90 favourite) ¾-lengths away in third.

Both Maher-trained horses will aim for a "win and you're in" ticket into the Melbourne Cup via the Group 3 The Archer (2500m) at Flemington on September 13.

"Hopefully it is a sense of timing come spring as today has been a very good race day for us as a lot of our good stayers have kicked off here and I'm sure he'll be one of those in time," Turnbull said.

"He his right up there with our (current) better stayers," Turnbull added.

Following this win, Relentless Voyager has been marked as an $18 chance for the Melbourne Cup on November 4.

The challenge may yet be ahead for the stayer with Racing Victoria vets reporting that he had pulled up lame in the left off foreleg soon after. 


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