Dwyer turns another overseas raid into gold

WELL-travelled Ballarat trainer Henry Dwyer’s golden overseas run has continued after Paradise Storm landed the Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie last Saturday.

The French-bred gelding put himself into potential Melbourne Cup calculations with a dominant six-and-a-quarter length in the Group 2 feature on Champions Day.

It capped a lucrative trip across the Tasman for Dwyer, whose sprinter Cote Atlantique also ran second earlier in the day in the Group 3 King’s Plate (1200m).

Fellow Ballarat trainer Mitch Freedman had to settle for a solid fourth in the $4 million Kiwi slot race with Asakura.

Dwyer, who has savoured much international success with three-time European Group 1 winner Asfoora, said the Cup win paved the way for a potential tilt at some bigger staying races back home

“We thought the Sydney Cup might be the go on the way through, but if he is qualified for a Melbourne Cup, it’s an aspirational game, so why wouldn’t you?” he said.

“It’s one thing to win a race, and cups are better than normal races, but winning a cup overseas somewhere just takes it to another level.

“There is so much more that goes into it and so much more that can go wrong.

“On a risk to reward scenario, it is just a massive thrill.”

Paradise Storm had originally been set for last Monday’s Adelaide Cup before the decision was made to pivot to the richer Auckland Cup.

While it was another major milestone in his burgeoning career, Dwyer was quick to praise his committed staff back home in Ballarat.

“I get to fly around the world and have these fun moments, but they are the ones who are up every morning and doing the work, particularly with a horse like this, who hasn’t been straight forward,” he said.

More plaudits went the way of Irish ex-pat jockey Joe Doyle for a ‘cool’ and well summed up performance.

Racing three-wide with cover, Doyle was unimpressed with the slack pace in the race, sending Paradise Storm forward down the back straight to sit outside leader Just Charlie.

The lightly-raced son of Masked Marvel – a 5-1 chance – was ready to pounce on the home turn and quickly put his rivals to the sword in the straight for a.

Dwyer was full of praise for Doyle’s ride and he was pleased that he rode to instructions.

“He has always been a horse that when they back the tempo off he is going to get keen,” he said.

“Joe was cognisant of that and we spoke about it before the race that if the tempo does come out of it, get going a bit and get rolling into the race because you are just pulling against him and using his energy when you don’t need to.

“I loved how he did it though. He waited until they got to the top of the hill and then he got going downhill.

“He got outside the leader and they got rolling, he kept his cool and then he ran away from them.

“It was the first time at two miles for us, and he saw it out beautifully.”

An Auckland Cup win came at just start number eight for Paradise Storm, who saluted for the third time in five starts.

His previous biggest win was in a 2500m benchmark 78 event at Morphettville in August last year.