Flemington Review: Cascadian Keeps On Keeping On

For a horse with his imposing record, Cascadian has been underrated during his career.

He’s never had the hype his stablemate Hartnell had but his record is starting to measure up to his and the way he’s racing he could yet surpass it.

Hartnell won four Group 1 races and Cascadian with his win in the Australian Cup took his record to three Group 1 wins.

James Cummings and Godolphin have kept Cascadian competitive as he gets older in Group 1 company as they did with Hartnell.

Hindsight’s a wonderful thing in racing but the price of $3.90 which Cascadian started at was somewhat of a luxury for a horse who rarely runs a bad race and was set for the Australian Cup.

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Although the Australian Cup was criticised in some quarters for having lost its lustre he’s a worthy winner.

Racing Victoria and the VRC managed to attract a capacity field and it was a race that was a great spectacle.

Also getting lost in the result was the feat of James Cummings to complete the once much-vaunted autumn double in Melbourne of the Newmarket Handicap and the Australian Cup, with sprinter In Secret having won the latter race.

The victory also gave Cascadian’s jockey Ben Melham a treble and under-lined what a sublime riding talent he is.

Melham rode What You Need to win the Sunlight Classic and the three-year-old gelding couldn’t have been more impressive making it three out of three wins.

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His co-trainer Mick Price said What You Need was an exciting prospect but was still working it all out.

“I thought his action was a little bit awkward. It was only the last 100 metres he properly let down and put it all together and then pulled away. There’s plenty of upside,” Price said.

“He’s got the most unflappable temperament you will find, he’s just a gorgeous, gorgeous colt and he’s got the physique of a very good horse. He’s very exciting.”

Price said What You Need would head to the $1 million Arrowfield Sprint at Randwick on April 8 over 1200 metres.

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