Saeed Bin Suroor identified Cavalryman as his number one contender for the 2014 Emirates Melbourne Cup after the galloper claimed some notable scalps in the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting.
Day One of the summer festival was staged in unseasonably wet conditions but the ever-softening ground proved no problem to Cavalryman and his jockey Silvestre de Sousa.
Having his first run since finishing an unlucky second in the Dubai Gold Cup in March, having won the stayers’ event the previous campaign, the eight-year-old found himself in front early on in the 2400-metre Group Two highlight.
And there he stayed with only Hillstar threatening at one stage before Cavalryman pulled away from Sir Michael Stoute’s runner to collect by a neck, and improve on his third-place finish of 12 months ago.
Another potential Melbourne Cup contender in Pether’s Moon came through for third while the even-money favourite and Royal Ascot winner Arab Spring weakened back to fourth.
Bin Suroor said: “This horse runs well fresh and was a little keen in the race. Silvestre did not want to fight him so just gave him his head and he has finished the race well.
“We will take him next to the Goodwood Cup and then think about taking him toAustraliafor the Melbourne Cup.
“He went two years ago and finished 12th but I think he is a better horse now and you can see from his form that he is late maturing.
“I think we will try and take two or three horses down toMelbournethis year and he will be one of them.
“The best trip for him is a mile and six furlongs (2800 metres) or even two miles (3200 metres). But he is a tough horse and he won a Group One over a mile and a half in France (Grand Prix de Paris in 2009).
“He can go on any ground and has won on good to soft before and on fast ground inDubai. I think the easing ground helped him more than it did the other horses today.”
De Sousa added: “It wasn't the plan to make the running, but I had no choice and it was quite enjoyable for him to be in front, so I just let him do the work.
“He's very tough and genuine. He has been unlucky, but he's come back.
“I'm just delighted for him to come here and get his head in front.”
Richard Hannon’s team had mentioned a possible trip to Flemington after Pether’s Moon took third at Royal Ascot andAustraliawas very much on their minds once again after another solid effort.
“I would love to see him in a Melbourne Cup as I think the race would really suit him,” said Hannon. “I would like to see him there at some stage and he does give the impression he will stay further than he has ran today.”