Athabascan primed for Melbourne Cup qualifier Andrew Ramsden Stakes

Sydney stayer Athabascan is on a mission to secure a Melbourne Cup berth in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes after he was agonisingly scratched from the race last year.

Athabascan is poised to streamline Melbourne Cup ambitions with a victory in the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Athabascan, a $4.40 favourite trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, has returned to Flemington for the Cup qualifier with solid Sydney form and a slight gear change.

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“In the Sydney Cup (placed fifth) we put the blinkers on him and probably, if we were being critical, he overraced slightly,” Charlton said.

Interference at a crucial stage in the Sydney Cup – “copped a big bump” – also blunted Athabascan.

“Coming back to 2800m, a slight gear change with winkers,” Charlton said.

“It looks a really nice race (Andrew Ramsden) for him but the tricky draw is our main concern.”

Athabascan, scratched on Cup eve last year with an irregular heartbeat, a most untimely and to date one-off gut-wrenching setback, has the second widest barrier to contend with on Saturday.

“We’ve got a really good rider in Ben Melham on,” Charlton said.

“He’s one of those riders capable of pulling off a stroke of genius … nothing we can do about it (barrier) and we expect him to run really well.”

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Eight of the top 10 stayers in the market, including second favourite Berkshire Breeze, copped wide draws in the Flemington feature.

“It might end up being a good thing, one of those things you never really know,” Charlton said.

“He’s a very easy to train stayer, a great temperament, very versatile, a very happy horse.

“He galloped last week between races, he looked sharp, fit, he has never lets us down and I’d be surprised if he let us down this week.”

Athabascan was scratched from the Melbourne Cup last year on the eve of the race. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Athabascan has raced consistently the past five starts in Sydney, building in fitness and distance, and cleared all precautionary veterinary check-ups.

“We went through a number of tests (last year when he returned to Sydney), everything has been in order,” Charlton said.

“He’s been checked every time he’s raced and showed nothing.

“I’m not a vet, but it was one of those things (cardiac arrhythmia on Cup eve), the vets have a duty and the horse comes first, as it should.”

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Charlton said Athabascan would likely be rested after Saturday to prepare for the spring but a strong performance, as expected, could trigger another interstate venture.

“He’s a horse we don’t want to leave idle too much but I’d say he’ll have a freshen up ahead of the spring,” Charlton said.

“There’s always options north of the border, Brisbane Cup, but we’ll get through Saturday first.”

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VRC: Timing right for Cup qualifiers

Victoria Racing Club has endorsed the placement of its Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) – a Melbourne Cup qualifier at Flemington on Saturday.

The $300,000 golden ticket has attracted a capacity field for the second time in three years – with 22 acceptors including four emergencies.

Chief racing officer Leigh Jordon said trainers and connections supported the fixture largely designed to help local trainers qualify a stayer for the race that stops a nation.

“We have talked about it (fixture),” Jordon said.

“We think we have the timing right with the Roy Higgins (end of March), Deakin was a good winner of the Higgins … and the Ramsden in May.

“We’ve got The Archer in September and The Bart Cummings in October, I think we have got the mix right … we get a lot of trainers saying we’d like to have an opportunity to qualify our horse locally.”

Jordon said the mid-May timeslot afforded the Andrew Ramsden winner a chance to have a break before the spring.

“It gives an opportunity for a horse to get into the Cup that wouldn’t usually get into the Cup,” Jordon said.

The Map won the Andrew Ramsden last year but struggled to recapture the form after a busy 2023-24 campaign.

The South Australian mare finished 21st in the Cup.

Lunar Flare won the 2023 Andrew Ramsden and was fancied for the Cup only to be agonisingly scratched race morning on veterinary advice.

The field on Saturday includes a mix of “up and coming stayers”, seasoned campaigners and athletic jumpers still able to compete on the flat.

Athabascan is a $4.40 favourite from Berkshire Breeze ($5.50) and Alma Rise ($7).

Originally published as Athabascan primed for Melbourne Cup qualifier Andrew Ramsden Stakes