Al Riffa, the horse who was bought to win a Melbourne Cup, gets the chance to prove once and for all he is an elite stayer on Day 3 at Royal Ascot.
The six-year-old will be tested over 4014 metres in the week’s signature event, the Group 1 Gold Cup, which will be run at 1.15am Friday AEST.
Jamie Lovett of Australian Bloodstock, which bought Al Riffa just before last year’s Spring Carnival, concedes there is a doubt about the son of Wootton Bassett at the marathon trip of the Gold Cup and said his chances would come down to tempo.
“It will depend on how the race was run, if it was a brutally run race I’m tipping no (he won’t stay), but if it was one where they hack around like they’re in training down around the back and then they zip up, he can get away with it,” he said.
Al Riffa’s turn of foot was on show late at his most recent appearance, in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (3100m) at Longchamp on May 21, when he charged late to be beaten less than half-a-length after being held up in the straight.
Al Riffa has been well-supported in Gold Cup betting since the field was declared earlier in the week and is as short as $6.50 with UK bookmakers.
Favourite, at $3, is last year’s English St Leger winner Scandinavia with defending champion Trawlerman at $4.
Al Riffa competed at Royal Ascot last year, beating home all bar Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (2405m), a race that was again a consideration for him this year.
O’Brien’s decision to head to the Gold Cup over the Hardwicke Stakes could leave the door ajar for a return trip to Flemington for Al Riffa, who finished seventh – beaten just over nine lengths – under 59kg in last year’s Melbourne Cup.
He hasn’t won since the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m) the start before last year’s Melbourne Cup and while Lovett said a return trip was unlikely, it had not been ruled out.
“Unlikely but it would depend what’s in it, if he got 57.5 (kilos) you’d definitely be tempted,” Lovett said.
“I thought last year was inconclusive. He obviously carried weight, but he drew wide and got back.”
“I’m not saying he couldn’t carry weight in the Melbourne Cup with the right draw and he got the right run around.”
