After 18 months without a win, Amade has booked himself a potential start in the Melbourne Cup with a narrow win at Geelong.
A former French galloper, Amade showed his class with a win at Flemington over 2600m in April 2021, and Wednesday’s success in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) was his first victory since.
Amade is number 41 in the Order Of Entry into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7 and can move up the list if rehandicapped for his win.
Last year’s Geelong Cup winner Emissary was penalised 0.5kg for his victory before going on to run second behind Gold Trip in last year’s Melbourne Cup.
However, trainer Phillip Stokes said the Melbourne Cup was unlikely if the 10-year-old did gain a start.
“We’ll keep the dream alive, but we’ve got the Queen Elizabeth Stakes earmarked,” Stokes said.
Ridden by Zac Spain, Amade ($31) scored by a neck from Ashrun ($5) with Sir Lucan ($31) a nose away in third place.
A little over half-a-length separated the first five across the line while the $2.90 favourite with online bookmakers First Immortal finished seventh, just over 1-½ lengths from the winner.
Amade spent a year off the racing scene courtesy of a tendon injury but returned early this year to run third in the Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville in March.
Stokes said the plan was to try and ride Amade closer to the lead, but the gelding missed the start.
“We had this idea that we were going to go forward on him today and take the bull by the horns but that didn’t work out, so Zac went to plan B and it worked out beautifully,” Stokes said.
“He’s a horse who we’ve always thought had nice talent and it is good to get the win on the board.”
Spain said he could sense Amade was going to miss the start after First Immortal lunge at the barriers just before the start.
“He’s a very tricky horse,” Spain said.
“He’s definitely got a mind of his own, that’s for sure, and his last couple of starts he’s actually been jumping which has been his issue a couple of preps ago.
“He got into a bad habit missing the starts by between six and ten lengths, and I knew he wasn’t going to jump today.
“He was very laidback in there and I went ‘no he’s not going to jump’.
“So, we went to Plan B and rode him quiet. He was absolutely bolting to the corner, and he just needed the run and when the run came, he sprinted well.”