Almost four years after riding Red Verdon to a maiden win in the West Midlands region of England, Pat Cosgrave will reunite with the stayer on the other side of the globe in a $5 million handicap.
Cosgrave made his mark during his visit to Melbourne for last year’s spring carnival, winning the Group One Caulfield Stakes on Benbatl for Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor before taking out the Group One Caulfield Cup a week later on stablemate Best Solution.
Cosgrave has picked up the ride on $51 chance Red Verdon for English trainer Ed Dunlop in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Red Verdon has been based at the Werribee quarantine centre since arriving in Melbourne a few weeks ago.
He finished 11th in last year’s Caulfield Cup before being ruled out of the Melbourne Cup with a hoof issue.
“I did win a maiden on him a long time ago,” Cosgrave said.
That maiden win was at Wolverhampton in England in December, 2015 at Red Verdon’s second start.
“I’ve watched all his races and I’ve raced against him a few times. Thankfully he was behind me last year in the race,” Cosgrave said.
“He actually looked a bit unlucky last year.
“It’s nice to pick up a spare ride and I’m looking forward to it.”
After an injury scare last Friday when he trotted up lame, Red Verdon has been cleared to take his place.
“The horse he seems very good,” Dunlop’s travelling foreman Robin Trevor-Jones said.
“The rider, Tom, rode him in a sharper piece of work the other day and was very happy with him.
“He’s been out doing his work nicely and everything’s on track.”
Cosgrave also rides unbeaten Royal Meeting for bin Suroor and Godolphin in Saturday’s Group Three Moonga Stakes.
The horse will be racing for the first time since winning the Group One Criterium International (1400m) in France at his second start a year ago and he has had throat surgery since.