VALLEY TO DECLARE VOW'S PATH

Vow And Declare’s performance in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on October 27 will determine whether he competes in a fourth Melbourne Cup.

The 2019 Cup hero made up a lot of ground to grab second place in Saturday’s Group 1 Might And Power Stakes, crossing the line two lengths behind star weight-for-age galloper Alligator Blood.

“We only want to get him and run him in a Melbourne Cup if he’s a genuine top six chance,” trainer Danny O’Brien said.

“Today certainly ticks that box but he’ll go to the Moonee Valley Cup now, it’s set weights and penalties where he’ll be handicapped ok and after that, we’ll decide whether he goes to the Melbourne Cup or not.”

O’Brien marveled at the strength of Vow And Declare’s performance, particularly at the stage of his career that he’s now at.

“Here he is at eight years old running second in a Group 1 weight-for-age race,” he said.

“He’s eight but he’s only raced 35 times. Everything worked for him today, it was a proper stamina test, the race shape really suited him, but his first-up run in the Underwood was good, he’s backed that up today, so he looks like he’s around the mark again this spring.”

Classy mare Duais was supported in the betting late and finished third in an effort that trainer Ed Cummings described as being “full of merit”.

Cummings gave credit to Alligator Blood and his connections, while he was non-committal when asked what future plans were for his three-time group one winner.

“We’ve got a nice horse, she’s in really good form, we’ve just got to find the right race for her now,” Cummings said.

Story by Edward Sadler for Racing.com

Pic by Racing Photos