New Zealand stayer The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) has earned a ticket into the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) with a hard-fought victory in the Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m).
As the winner of Saturday’s 2400m handicap, The Chosen One gains a ballot exemption into next week’s A$5 million Caulfield Cup.
Backed from $9 to $6.50, The Chosen One scored a half-length win under Damian Lane from last year’s Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince Of Arran (Shirocco) with Sully (NZ) (Reliable Man) three lengths away third.
The Chosen One had his price slashed for next week’s Cup from $101 to $11 and can’t be penalised for the win.
Murray Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman, is chasing a second Caulfield Cup having won the race in 2015 with Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor).
“Mongolian Khan did everything right, he was an experienced horse,” Baker said.
“He’d won two Derbys, he was pretty strong. This guy is hopefully on the way up.”
Baker said it was important to see The Chosen One back in form after producing a disappointing performance in the weight-for-age Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 29.
He said dropping back to handicap conditions suited the four-year-old.
“The speed was on and he saw the trip out which was the main thing and we go on to the Caulfield Cup now, I think.”
Lane switches to Japanese stayer Mer De Glance (Rulership) but said The Chosen One, with his light weight of 52kg, was a contender in next week’s race.
Bred by Tony, Joe, Ray and Martin Dennis, The Chosen One is a son of Savabeel and the Group Three-placed Flying Spur mare The Glitzy One, who won eight races from 1400m to 2500m.
It is a family The Dennis Brothers have cultivated over generations, with the grand dam the dual Group One winner The Jewel (NZ) (O’Reilly).
“It’s the first time we’ve put a syndicate of our own together,” Tony Dennis said. “We usually just race them ourselves.
“We tried to sell him at Karaka as a yearling and we put a $150,000 reserve on him, but he got to $130,000.
“Later Tony Rider suggested we syndicate him. He took 10 percent straight away and it went from there.
“I asked Murray Baker whether he’d train him and he said he’d love to, after having trained The Phantom from the same family all those years ago.”
Under the guidance of Baker, The Phantom’s (NZ) (Noble Bijou) performances included a win in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes and a second in the 1990 Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
“The syndicate just went from there,” Dennis said. “Our family has ended up with 40 percent and the rest is divided up with friends.
“I’m really enjoying watching the fun the syndicate is having with him.”
The syndicate includes Janine Dunlop, who regularly prepares the Dennis brothers horses for the National Yearling Sales at Karaka under her Phoenix Park banner.
