IF IT'S possible to sound diffident about gaining the opportunity to win a $2.5 million prize and with it one of Australia's most celebrated races, then Seymour trainer Shannon Hope did so yesterday after Caulfield track specialist Folding Gear swooped late to land the Naturalism Stakes, a group 3 race which guarantees the winner an exemption from the ballot for the Caulfield Cup, reports The Age.It says: The five-year-old gelding, under a patient ride from Ben Melham, came with a powerful finis

IF IT'S possible to sound diffident about gaining the opportunity to win a $2.5 million prize and with it one of Australia's most celebrated races, then Seymour trainer Shannon Hope did so yesterday after Caulfield track specialist Folding Gear swooped late to land the Naturalism Stakes, a group 3 race which guarantees the winner an exemption from the ballot for the Caulfield Cup, reports The Age.

It says: The five-year-old gelding, under a patient ride from Ben Melham, came with a powerful finish to gun down leader Mr O'Ceirin ($5) for a half-length win. Country-trained mare Exceptionally ($13), who also produced an impressive late run, was a long head away in third place.

Mike Moroney's Shenzhou Steeds, who came into the race with strong form after winning the Ipswich and Caloundra cups during the Brisbane winter, was fourth.

Folding Gear ($7.50) notched his third victory in four runs at Caulfield, with a placing at his other start.
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While Hope adopted a cautious approach over a possible Caulfield Cup start for the son of Johar, a tilt at the first leg of the big Melbourne spring double seems the most likely option.

''At this stage we are aiming at it but we will just see how he comes through it,'' the trainer said. ''He has a patient owner, and you give them time and they come to hand.

''It's not the end of the world if we don't get there. The Coongy [a 2000-metre handicap run on the same day as the Caulfield Cup but worth only a fraction of the prizemoney] would be just as easy.

''He won't have another run going into it, I don't think he needs it. He doesn't take a lot of work. He's one of those horses you just have to keep above himself [in condition].''

Ciaron Maher said Mr O'Ceirin could be aimed at the group 2 Herbert Power Handicap on October 13, a week before the Caulfield Cup, in a bid to force his way into the field.

''That's a possibility, or we could take a step back and try to go for the Cranbourne Cup or Bendigo Cup,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au