Paul Preusker dreams of Melbourne Cup tilt with Ballarat Cup winner Captain Envious
Paul Preusker will keep trying to win the Melbourne Cup and believes he has a contender next year in Captain Envious, a runaway winner of the Ballarat Cup.
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Paul Preusker can dare to dream in 2024 after Captain Envious stormed to a most dominant victory in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday.
Captain Envious, backed into $3.80 favourite late with TAB after being as much as $26 last Tuesday, saluted by 2½ lengths under a hold from jockey Michael Dee.
Preusker, who qualified former stable star Surprise Baby to run in two Melbourne Cups, has the same ambitions for Captain Envious, a lightly-raced five-year-old son of Savabeel.
“I’m not saying he’s a two-miler but gee he handles like one and he’ll certainly eat up 2400m and 2600m,” Preusker said.
“I’ll try again, I’ll try again, that’s my thinking.”
What a performance!
â 7HorseRacing ð (@7horseracing) December 9, 2023
Captain Envious storms away with the Ballarat Cup! ð pic.twitter.com/kXTdwkzMIY
Captain Envious showed good ability last year, including a third placing behind Soulcombe in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington, but failed to come up next preparation.
Preusker attributed the slump to a long break between runs, which the Horsham horseman wants to avoid this time around.
Captain Envious has raced six times since late September, for two wins, Murtoa and Ballarat cups, and minor placings.
“His first prep I stayed him right out (long spell) and it bottomed him a little bit, so we thought just go light, this is ideal to get some (rating) points to get to where we need to,” Preusker said.
“He’s got a blistering turn of foot, he’s turned into a nice horse, wet, dry, we just thought we’d have a go here, I didn’t want to put him out this prep so 2000m ticked the box.
“He’s a horse that will get over a bit more ground, it’s just a matter of getting some points and today was a good journey.”
Dee, who sealed a Saturday treble with Captain Envious, praised the performance.
“He quickened up like it was a good track. He ploughed through that,” Dee said.
“He was running away from them on the line and he took time to pull him up. It was a super effort.”
Second favourite Foxy Cleopatra commanded 30 per cent of the TAB hold but the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained mare loathed the Heavy 10 surface and finished second last.
Young Werther and Just Folk fought out the minor prizes in a messy finish to the Ballarat Cup.
Just Folk laid out under pressure in the straight and bumped Young Werther, while South Australian visitor En Francais held on to fourth after leading up the field to the 200m mark.
Originally published as Paul Preusker dreams of Melbourne Cup tilt with Ballarat Cup winner Captain Envious