Emerging stayer Oceanex in the mix in the Melbourne Cup draw
In a normal year Oceanex would have been aimed at the Doomben Cup with a Melbourne Cup start not even a consideration. Instead she’s got a guaranteed spot in the big race.
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Michael Kent Junior reflected that in normal circumstance Oceanex would have been in Brisbane instead of securing a spot in the Melbourne Cup after winning The Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington.
“It’s funny how things worked out. She would have been aimed at the Doomben Cup. As a result of the crisis we stayed home and now we’re in the Melbourne Cup,” Kent Junior said.
“It’s a dream come true and she’d be a fair dinkum chance. She deserves her spot in it.”
“I’ve grown up with the Melbourne Cup as the race. My Dad has had a couple or runners in it. I’m going to be in my second season as a trainer and I’ve got a runner. I can’t believe it,” said the 29 year-old who trains in partnership with Mick Price.
Kent Junior is confident that the four-year-old mare has the credentials to be a factor in the Melbourne Cup.
“She couldn’t have done anymore. Two starts as a stayer for two wins and three starts at Flemington for three wins and she beat the right horse in King Of Leogrance.”
“She’s going to be meeting a different class of stayer but the form stood up last year from the Andrew Ramsden and who knows what’s happening with the internationals this year but I think she’d be in the mix.”
“She’s clean winded and she pulled up without a problem. She could have gone around again. That was a strong staying effort. Ocean Park horses get better as they get older.
“It’s a luxury to know she’s in the race and we can program backwards from there,”
“There’s clues in her pedigree that she could get a trip.”
Oceanex’s managing owner Luke Wilkinson, who purchased the daughter of Ocean Park as a yearling filly with Mick Price for $70,000 in New Zealand three years ago said he didn’t think or intend to have bought a stayer.
“I didn’t think she was a 2000m plus horse but I just liked her. She was passed in for $90,000 and then Mick grabbed me and said she was still for sale so we went down and got her for $70,000.
Wilkinson, who is now working for Yulong as it’s breeding and racing manager, said when Price had his last Melbourne Cup runner in Umbula in 2005 he had friends own that horse who made him feel like he was a part of the day.
“I really thought that would be as close as I would get to having a Melbourne Cup starter as they aren’t the sort of horses I buy. It’s surreal to think we’ve got a Melbourne Cup runner.”
Wilkinson said he sold the last share in the horse nine months later.
Originally published as Emerging stayer Oceanex in the mix in the Melbourne Cup draw
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