Cedarberg announced his arrival as a genuine spring Cups contender when he scored an easy win in today’s $2 million The BMW Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill.
A Western Australian bred son of VRC Derby winner Helenus, Cedarberg was sent out an healthy double figures odds despite an eye catching last start effort behind Shocking in the Australian Cup at Flemington.
Sent out at $26, Cedarberg cruised home to beat the bold front runner Mourayan by a length and a quarter.
Linton, the well fancied stablemate of the runner-up, was another neck back in third place, while the favourites, Caulfield Cup winner Descarado and Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday struggled into sixth and seventh place respectively.
While many were looking toward the outside of the field in the straight, Cedarberg was able to sneak up on the inside of runners, hit the front and then slide back off the fence to score well under Damien Oliver.
While the connections of a number of fancied runners were left scratching their heads, Mornington based horseman Pat Carey was all smiles in the winner’s stall.
“He is a nice staying horse and once he got to a mile and a half he identified himself as a pretty useful horse,” Carey said.
“He is still lightly raced and we got good encouragement out of the spring with what direction to go.”
“He’d be a nice horse for the Sydney Cup with 51 kilos on his back. He probably won’t go there.”
“Damien managed to shave the corner and still get in effective going, so all credit to Damien – he rode a very good race.”
Oliver, who was riding Cedarberg for the first time, has been a fan of the gelding for some time and thought he fitted the mould of another of his BMW winner, Blutigeroo.
“It was pretty leisurely through the middle stages, they had a good rest for three or four furlongs and they sort of bottled up a bit getting to the half mile but once they opened up he sprinted through really quick.”
“When you draw (barrier) two you don’t have a lot of options. He wasn’t too comfortable on the inside, but once they opened up he really too the bit and chased well.”
“He ran really well in some nice lead up races in the spring. He didn’t quite get to the Cups, but put the writing on the wall that he is going to be a Cups type horse and he really proved that today.”
A graduate of the 2008 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Cedarberg is by former WA based Derby winner Helenus – a stallion now based in Victoria.
He is the sole winner to date for the unraced Spectrum mare Infrared – a half sister to stakes performers Comic Dame and Game Ginty.
Helenus is the sire of three stakes performed gallopers – all of them graduates of the Magic Millions salering in Perth.
Winner: Cedarberg (Helenus-Infrared)
Race: ATC The BMW Stakes G1 (2400m)
Passed for: $32,500
Sale: 2008 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale
Vendor: Wyadup Valley Farms
Reserve: $35,000
Earnings: $1,498,917
Owner(s): Wyadup Valley Farms Syndicate (Mgr: T Delroy)
Trainer: Pat Carey (Mornington)
