Fawkner Park out of 2024 Caulfield Cup, heading back to Sydney

Trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald have aborted a Caulfield Cup plan for the race’s one-time favourite Fawkner Park, conceding he hadn’t adapted to racing the Melbourne direction.

One-time Caulfield Cup favourite Fawkner Park will return to Sydney to continue a preparation after a concession the Group 1-placed stayer was not “at his best” racing the Melbourne direction.

Fawkner Park worked better yesterday at Caulfield for trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald but not well enough to proceed to the $5m Group 1 spring major on October 19.

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“Annabel and the owners made the decision they didn’t feel like he wasn’t at his peak, he’s had two goes Melbourne way and he hasn’t performed to the best of his ability,” Archibald said.

“(We’ll get) him back to Sydney and regroup somewhat and work our way back to the races.”

Fawkner Park surged to the top of Caulfield Cup markets after a winter campaign culminated in a placing in the Group 1 Doomben Cup and a strong win in the Q22.

He resumed in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield but raced plainly behind Buckaroo.

THE MAGIC MAN! 🪄 @cavaleiro83 & Buckaroo destroy the opposition in the G1 Underwood Stakes 🔥@cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/6mUVp1VDY4

— Racing.com (@Racing) September 21, 2024

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Fawkner Park ran fourth in the Australian Cup Prelude at Flemington in March, his only other start in Melbourne.

“A horse of his calibre we were hoping we would be able to get him to the Caulfield Cup but he just doesn’t seem to be comfortable the Melbourne way of going, for whatever reason,” Archibald said.

“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what that would be, he’s a talented horse so we’ll try and play to his strengths and get him back to Sydney and see if we can get him going well.”

The Group 3 Craven Plate (1800m) at Randwick on October 26 could be an option to get Fawkner Park back in form “and then there will be options that come up”.

Meanwhile, Gear Up and Fancy Man will aim to boost Melbourne Cup ambitions on Saturday at Caulfield in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m).

Both need a win: Gear Up, 58th in the Order of Entry, must at the very least place to pass the Cup ballot clause to move up the rankings, with Fancy Man in 46th position.

Fancy Man worked alongside Fawkner Park at Caulfield on Tuesday.

Originally published as Fawkner Park out of 2024 Caulfield Cup, heading back to Sydney