WELL-travelled Ballarat trainer Henry Dwyer’s golden overseas run has continued after Paradise Storm landed the Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie last Saturday.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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).<\/p>\n
Fellow Ballarat trainer Mitch Freedman had to settle for a solid fourth in the $4 million Kiwi slot race with Asakura.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“There is so much more that goes into it and so much more that can go wrong.<\/p>\n
“On a risk to reward scenario, it is just a massive thrill.”<\/p>\n
Paradise Storm had originally been set for last Monday’s Adelaide Cup before the decision was made to pivot to the richer Auckland Cup.<\/p>\n
While it was another major milestone in his burgeoning career, Dwyer was quick to praise his committed staff back home in Ballarat.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
More plaudits went the way of Irish ex-pat jockey Joe Doyle for a ‘cool’ and well summed up performance.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The lightly-raced son of Masked Marvel \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
Dwyer was full of praise for Doyle’s ride and he was pleased that he rode to instructions.<\/p>\n
“He has always been a horse that when they back the tempo off he is going to get keen,” he said.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“I loved how he did it though. He waited until they got to the top of the hill and then he got going downhill.<\/p>\n
“He got outside the leader and they got rolling, he kept his cool and then he ran away from them.<\/p>\n
“It was the first time at two miles for us, and he saw it out beautifully.”<\/p>\n
An Auckland Cup win came at just start number eight for Paradise Storm, who saluted for the third time in five starts.<\/p>\n
His previous biggest win was in a 2500m benchmark 78 event at Morphettville in August last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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, […]<\/p>\n