5 November 2009 / REUTERS, SYDNEY
The connections of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking will consider taking their horse to Dubai and Royal Ascot next year after capturing Australia’s richest race.
The four-year-old’s owner, construction magnate Laurence Eales, said he wanted to continue racing the horse even though his value as a stallion had significantly increased after his stirring win at Flemington on Tuesday. Eales said he was seriously contemplating an overseas campaign for his impressive stayer and the Dubai World Cup meeting and possibly Royal Ascot were the most likely targets. “I’d like to race him on,” Eales told reporters. “I think he’d go great... but that’s something that I’ll have to have a think about and depends what offers we get and where we go.” Shocking’s trainer Mark Kavanagh is already planning to visit Dubai next year after Whobegotyou, a stablemate of Shocking that is also owned by Eales, was invited earlier this year after establishing himself as one of Australia’s best horses.
