Potential Melbourne Cup runners Brown Panther and Simenon both ran outstanding races in last night’s Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, reports Racing Network.
Brown Panther ran fourth and Simenon fifth behind champion Aiden O’Brien-trained stayer Leading Light.
Last year’s winner, The Queen’s horse Estimate, was the runner-up.
Brown Panther, owned by soccer great Michael Owen, ran eighth in last year’s Melbourne Cup and both Owen and the horse’s trainer Tom Dascombe expressed a desire to return in 2014.
Simenon, fourth in last year’s Melbourne Cup, ran a brave fifth last night and trainer Willie Mullins has also expressed a desire to return to Melbourne.
Racing Victoria’s International scout Leigh Jordon will be targeting both horses when he travels to Europe next month.
Leading Light gave Aiden O’Brien his sixth win in the Gold Cup making him the most successful trainer in the race’s history.
Ridden by his son Joseph, Leading Light proved a neck too tough for Estimate in what has been described as a finish for the ages.
Joseph O’Brien was later fined 3,000 pounds for excessive whip use and suspended for seven days.