Glorious Protector gave his connections and trainer Ed Walker plenty to consider when he posted a strong win in the August Stakes early on Sunday at Windsor (UK), reports Racing Network.
Walker has Glorious Protector, a winner of three of his 10 starts, nominated for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.
The lightly raced northern hemisphere four-year-old reproduced the form that saw him a seven-length winner at Newmarket a month earlier, albeit in weaker company.
Glorious Protector was untroubled by the step up in class at Windsor as he scored by 2½ lengths in a listed race that include three other Melbourne spring carnival contenders.
Left in his wake Glorious Protector were Sennockian Star (fourth), (My) Quest For Peace (fifth) and Renew (sixth).
Walker travelled Ruscello to Melbourne last year, where he claimed the Lexus Stakes but compounded to finish second-last in the Melbourne Cup three days later.
Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter will issue weights for the Caulfield Cup on Wednesday September 3, with the first acceptances on September 9.
While Glorious Protector kept himself in the spring mix, there were a host of disappointing performances by European entries across the weekend.
Biographer, who holds a Caulfield Cup nomination, finished fifth in the March Stakes at Goodwood. Bayrir, a Cox Plate entrant, finished fifth in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.
The formerly Chris Waller-trained stayer Kelinni ran sixth in a handicap at Newmarket while Farraaj, considered a Cox Plate hopeful, finished fourth in the Strensall Stakes.
European horses destined for either the Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate must enter quarantine on September 11.