REKINDLING, already the early favourite to win the Melbourne Cup next year, will return to Ireland and be set for the Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June.
But owner Lloyd Williams and trainer Joseph O’Brien are hoping to give Rekindling his chance to win successive Melbourne Cups.
“A lot will depend on the handicapper,’’ Williams said.
“I’d like to think Rekindling could come back next year as he is a young horse and will only improve.
“But we saw with Almandin that it is not easy. Almandin went up 4.5kg on what he carried last year and he struggled today. Weight stops them.’’
Williams already owns the best stayer in Europe, Order Of St George, and he is looking forward to watching Rekindling take on the champion in the Ascot Gold Cup.
“We will probably send Rekindling back to Ireland and prepare this horse for the Ascot Gold Cup,’’ Williams said.
“Joseph can’t just have his father (Aidan) win it again with Order Of St George. We have to give him some competition.’’
Williams did suggest if Order Of St George was sent down under he would have gone close to winning the Melbourne Cup.
“I would have thought Order of St George at two miles with a bit of cut in the track there is no horse superior to him,’’ the owner said.
“Order Of St George is not a great traveller so I don’t think he will ever come – and we can’t be too greedy, we might have run a 1-2-3 today.’’
O’Brien conceded Rekindling had a long, arduous year and the young stayer deserves a break from racing.
“He has only disappointed us once all year and that was in the (English) Derby when he didn’t handle the track,’’ O’Brien said.
“He has kept improving all year and he was very good today. It is too early to be making plans for next year but let’s hope we can come back to Melbourne.’’
Rekindling has been installed $ 21 TAB Fixed Odds equal favourite with Johannes Vermeer for the 2018 Melbourne Cup.
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