Early trans-Tasman discussions have encouraged Shaune Ritchie to aim at Australasia’s top staying prize with his distance specialist Mahrajaan (Kitten’s Joy).
The Cambridge-based horseman trains the six-year-old with Colm Murray and all roads will lead to the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in the spring.
Mahrajaan emphatically ticked the stamina box last preparation with victories in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) and the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m).
“He is definitely going to be set for the Melbourne Cup and I’ve spoken to the Victorian handicapper, he said based on nine of the last 10 Cups he would get a run off his rating,” Ritchie said.
“That’s unless there is a massive influx of English horses, which there hasn’t been lately due to the sensitive veterinary exams etc. and no free rides, they have to pay their own way.
“That’s probably good for the race as it gives Australian and New Zealand horses eligibility into it so he would be unlucky not to get a run.”
Process of elimination has also been a major factor in placing the focus on the Flemington feature.
“What choice have we got? He would be weighted out of the New Zealand Cup, the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) and probably the Auckland Cup so it’s our main goal,” Ritchie said.
“To have a runner would be something very special, but we’re not foolish enough to suggest that if his form is woeful we would press on.
“We are mindful though that his form can be pretty average leading up to the two miles and it’s not until he gets there that he excels.
“The only race that would suit him in his lead-up is the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Gr.2, 2500m) at set weights and penalties.”
Mahrajaan is likely to have a couple of domestic outings before he departs for Melbourne.
“At this stage, we’ll give him two runs at Ruakaka and then go over,” Ritchie said.
“I’d also be keen to run him in the Bart Cummings (Gr.3, 2500m) as I would want him to have a look at Flemington, he seems to go well on those roomier tracks like Riccarton and Ellerslie.
“We fully understand how hard it would be to win a race like the Cup, but it’s a huge opportunity for the owners.”
An American-bred son of Kitten’s Joy, Mahrajaan was purchased by Ritchie out of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale for 75,000gns and he will be returning to England on another buying mission next week.
“I’m going to the July Sale to try and buy a similar horse because of how well we’ve done with him and there’s interest in getting another one,” he said.
“That will be fun and hopefully we can buy a horse of similar profile. We got this one in the hope of getting into a Melbourne Cup and it’s great that we’ve got this far.
“I used Jason Smith, who works for Cambridge Stud, last time and he follows the European form extensively. He selected 12 to 15 horses and we selected Mahrajaan out of those so I’ll use his services again.”
It won’t be all business for Ritchie, who will be accompanied by his 15-year-old daughter Delta.
“It will be a great experience for her and we’ll try and shoot down to London for a day or two,” he said.
“She’s 15 and at that stage they are learning to spend, so I might have to win the Melbourne Cup to pay for it all.”
Ritchie will also realise a long-held ambition with a sporting date in the United States.
“I’m going to New York and not that I’m a big baseball fan, but I love the atmosphere of the big stadiums,” he said.
“The New York Yankees are playing the Boston Red Sox and I’ve got some dugout tickets behind the home team.
“I’ll probably be the only bloke sitting there at Yankees Stadum in an All Blacks jersey.”
