He's captured two of New Zealand's biggest staying scalps and now Cambridge gelding Mahrajaan has crossed the Tasman to try and assert his dominance in Australia.
The American-bred gelding was purchased by co-trainer Shaune Ritchie from the 2022 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale at Newmarket, England, for 75,000 guineas, and rewarded the Cambridge horseman's judgement a year later when taking out the Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton last November before going on to secure a Cups double at Ellerslie last month when victorious in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m).
Now victorious over 3200m at Group Two and Three level, Ritchie, along with co-trainer Colm Murray, are hoping he can complete the Group-level set in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
“We bought him initially to try and win a New Zealand Cup with him and once we got over that goal we took the next step, which was the Auckland Cup,” Ritchie told Trackside NZ.
“It is no mean feat to try and win three two-mile races in one season, it probably wouldn't be done very often, and obviously this is a step-up in class.
“I think we have got a pretty even field this year, it has certainly softened up late, we just hope the track isn't too soft for him.”
Like many trainers in Australasia, Ritchie said he has always dreamed of lining up a runner in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November, and Saturday is a litmus test to see if his charge is up to the task.
“We are just testing the waters,” he said. “It is a boyhood dream to have a runner in a Melbourne Cup, so if he can be competitive here it would be nice to take him home and get him ready for the spring.
“He is just that ultimate stayer. I think the booking of Tommy Marquand (jockey) is a good one, he is very strong and is not scared to get going on them early, he will get him out of the barrier. He is going to need to get him out there from a wide gate (16) and get somewhere involved. He is an on-pace horse and does run the two-miles out very strongly. That is his edge over other horses.
“It is just nice to be at Randwick and back in Sydney and perhaps seeing how far we can lift the bar and how high he can jump.”