ADELAIDE CUP FOR LEOGRANCE

Owner Lloyd Williams is aiming to win a fourth Adelaide Cup nearly 40 years after scoring his first after King Of Leogrance ran away for a soft win in the Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Watch King Of Leogrance's victory
Watch post race interview with trainer Danny O'Brien
Watch post race interview with jockey Damian Lane

The impressive victory for the import was his first in Australia and was the first to carry Williams' navy blue and white colours for trainer Danny O'Brien, who was given a handful of the owner's stayers when Williams put his private training complex at Mt Macedon on the market last year.

"Lloyd gave me some horses 20 years ago and I don't think I won with any of them so it's nice to get on the board," O'Brien quipped after the race.

Williams first won the Adelaide Cup with Just A Dash in 1981, who eight months later won the owner the first of six Melbourne Cups. He later won Adelaide Cups with Gallic (2007) and Muir (2011).

The $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) is run at Morphettville on March 9.

King Of Leogrance started the $3.50 equal favourite with eventual runner-up Dabiyr, who he beat by a length-and-a-quarter, with the $7.50 chance Naval Warfare two lengths away third.

O'Brien said the Adelaide Cup was the plan for a horse who he believes has a future as a stayer.

"Today was his 11th start and we're hoping he keeps that progression going and if he does, he's a lightly raced, well-bred talented stayer that hopefully can keep going," O'Brien said.

"He's a very clean-winded, natural-staying horse. I can't see why not."

The Melbourne Cup-winning trainer said he had no problems with stepping up King Of Leogrance to 2600 metres at just his second run from a spell.

"I thought he would be suited at the 2600m," he said. "He's a horse we are hoping can run two miles."

Story by Andrew Eddy

Pic by Racing Photos