Australia: Le Don De Vie trying to use Caloundra Cup to advance toward Melbourne Cup
The British-bred gelding Le Don De Vie missed the cut for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in Australia last November after a fifth-place finish in the Group 3 Geelong Cup in October.
The Melbourne Cup, Australia’s most famous race, could figure in plans for Le Don De Vie later this year, pending the results of a campaign that includes a start in Saturday’s $207,300 Caloundra Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Sunshine Coast Racecourse.
The Caloundra Cup is not recognized as an important prep for the Melbourne Cup, which will be run on Nov. 1. But any success that Le Don De Vie has in that race and more important races in coming months will raise his official rating and possibly secure his place among the 24 qualifiers for the Melbourne Cup.
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Last October, Le Don De Vie was ranked 28th on the list of candidates before the loss in the Geelong Cup to Tralee Rose, who later finished ninth in the Melbourne Cup.
The Caloundra Cup is Le Don De Vie’s third start of 2022. The 6-year-old began the year with an 80-1 upset in a handicap at a mile at Flemington Racecourse on May 21, a distance believed to be too short for his best performance. Le Don De Vie was later 11th of 15 in the Group 2 Q22 Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Eagle Farm Racecourse on June 11, losing by 5 1/2 lengths to Numerian.
Le Don De Vie, trained by the high-profile stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, was a slight favorite at 9-2 for the 17-runner Caloundra Cup as of Thursday.
London Banker, the winner of the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Eagle Farm on June 25, was 5-1. London Banker was ninth in the Q22 Stakes.
Sunshine Coast, located north of Brisbane, has a nine-race program, beginning at 10:53 p.m. Eastern or 7:53 p.m. Pacific on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
The Caloundra Cup is the sixth race followed by the Group 3 Winx Guineas Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile.
Battleton, second by two lengths in the Group 2 Gunsynd Classic at a mile at Eagle Farm on June 11, was a standout in early betting in a field of 16 as of Thursday.