High profile import December Draw (IRE) earned a start in the Caulfield Cup with a stylish victory in the Listed MRC Naturalism Stakes over 2000 metres at Caulfield on Saturday, but many pedigree experts will be wondering about his credentials to get the 2400 metres and beyond to the Melbourne Cup, reports Tara Madgwick in www.breednet.com.au.Her report adds: The Mark Kavanagh-trained gelding had plenty to offer when Michale Rodd worked him clear at the 300 metres and his turn of foot proved dec

High profile import December Draw (IRE) earned a start in the Caulfield Cup with a stylish victory in the Listed MRC Naturalism Stakes over 2000 metres at Caulfield on Saturday, but many pedigree experts will be wondering about his credentials to get the 2400 metres and beyond to the Melbourne Cup, reports Tara Madgwick in www.breednet.com.au.

Her report adds: The Mark Kavanagh-trained gelding had plenty to offer when Michale Rodd worked him clear at the 300 metres and his turn of foot proved decisive over the final 200 metres. Rodd eased December Draw down with 50 metres to run but the son of Medecis proved too good for another import in Galileo entire At First Sight (IRE), who charged home from well back.

"I reckon just pushing him through, around the turn, took a little bit out of him," Rodd said. "He's not used to that. He has always got to the front before the turn and had it pretty easy but today he had to earn it. I think once he gets to the front like that, he has nothing to chase down so he switches off a bit too."

Kavanagh said the six-year-old's Caulfield Cup qualification was "a relief" but his focus would turn to finding a lead-up race for the $2.5 million event that would not carry a weight penalty for December Draw if he was successful.

December Draw was equal 84th in the Caulfield Cup order of entry with 50kg but Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter is likely to penalise the import for his Naturalism Stakes win.

"I suppose we have got to have one more run before it (Caulfield Cup) and we probably need it about two weeks before so I'll have a look and find a non-penalty race," he said. "Maybe it will be the Turnbull (Stakes) or something like that. He likes 2000 metres. He likes Flemington so maybe we'll go there. "

On face value, December Draw is not really bred to be a stayer as his sire Medecis won four races at 1400 and 1600 metres and has left just five stakes-winners, none of which have won beyond 2000 metres.

His placed dam New York is by Golden Slipper winner Danzero (sired by him during his brief shuttle sire career to the UK) and is a half-sister to former brilliant juvenile Superstar Leo, the dam of another slick five furlong flyer in Enticing.

Further down the page we see English 2,000 Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand and this year's Group I winning juvenile Power, so it's a female family blessed with abundant speed.

That said, there are reasons to think December Draw might indeed stay and they start with his grand-sire Machiavellian, whose high class son Street Cry (IRE) is the sire of the Mark Kavanagh trained Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.