Caulfield Cup Winner for Holy Roman Emperor
Bred in Tasmania, trained in New Zealand and sired by a royally bred Coolmore shuttle stallion, Mongolian Khan (4h Holy Roman Emperor x Centafit, by Centaine) proved himself as the best 2400 metre stayer in Australia with a super stylish victory in the $3million Group I MRC Caulfield Cup on Saturday.
Prepared by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, the dark bay son of Holy Roman Emperor was a dual Derby hero last season taking the New Zealand Derby and ATC Australian Derby, so the Cups dream was always going to be on the agenda come spring.
A close third to Criterion at weight-for-age in the Group I MRC Caulfield Stakes over 2000 metres last Saturday, Mongolian Khan was seen as being cherry ripe for this 2400 metre handicap assignment and duly went to the post as favourite.
Perfectly ridden by Ope Bosson, he swept to the front turning for home and powered to the line to beat foreign raider Trip to Paris (IRE) by half a length with the Lee and Anthony Freedman trained Our Ivanhowe (Ger) in third.
His win was the first victory in the race for Baker, who has placed in the Caulfield Cup previously with The Phantom, Nom du Jeu and Harris Tweed.
"It’s amazing,” Baker said. "To win one after running in the placings a few times is unbelievable.
"We’ve been coming here a long time and I think this one is for good attendance.
"It was worth the wait.”
Mongolian Khan’s win stamps him as one of the best Australian bred best modern day stayers.
"He’s a very good stayer,” Baker said. "We wanted to make this a staying test and he just kept kicking.
"He’s got a beautiful relaxed temperament and I think he loves being a racehorse.”
Mongolian Khan is owned by the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry Company, a consortium that is headed by Manchurian business magnate, Mr Lang Ling.
The organisation has had a major impact on the New Zealand breeding industry in the past few years where they have purchased in excess of 500 horses through the auction ring or via private sales.
A successful pinhook two times over, Mongolian Khan was a $9,000 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale purchase from the Grenville Stud draft, then made $140,000 as a yearling at the NZB Select Yearling Sale and was then re-sold for $220,000 at the 2013 NZB Ready To Run Sale of two-year-olds.
Mongolian Khan has now taken his record to eight wins from just 13 starts with prizemoney of $3.8 million.
Bred by Tasmanian based Grenville Stud, Mongolian Khan is a half-brother to Group I winner Young Centaur and is one of six Group I winners for Holy Roman Emperor, a brilliant two year old by Danehill from the family of champion Australian sires Flying Spur and Encosta de Lago.
Holy Roman Emperor is currently back in Australia at Coolmore standing at a fee of $22,000.