Monetary gain drives Dunlop

Trainer Ed Dunlop is brutally frank and unabashed about his reasons for putting Red Cadeaux in the mix for Dubai World Cup glory, with considerable monetary gain understandably being the motivating factor.

By Alex Leach

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Published: Sun 31 Mar 2013, 12:54 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 12:41 PM

The seven-year-old gelding is the veteran of the 13-strong field and he isn’t ideally suited to the shorter 2,000m trip against younger rivals.

Dunlop himself readily admits “a lot of people think we’ve lost our marbles and maybe we have” amid continuing doubts over his runner’s “tactical speed” in such company.

But, it’s a calculated risk Dunlop is prepared to take with the potential numbers – and noughts – afterwards in the event of arguably a somewhat unlikely victory providing a sufficient incentive overall. “Of course, yeah!” Dunlop replied when asked if financial considerations had played a part in the decision to run Red Cadeaux in Saturday night’s $10m big race here.

“This horse has won £2m in prize money, which is not bad for a seven-year-old gelding who was rated at 72 in England when he first started.

“I know it’s vulgar, but we’re here for the money and – if we can get some – we’re delighted. We will be trying to get as much as we can.”

Red Cadeaux’s pedigree over longer trips should ensure he stays the distance against a number of the other horses that are considered quick-footed one-milers.

He seemingly has taken to the all-weather Tapeta surface as well, yet a perceived lack of pace might still prove his undoing.

“He loves the surface,” Dunlop added. “He’s run on polytrack in England and been pretty successful on it, albeit at a lower level.

“He trains very well on it and he’s arrive here and it looks like he loves the Tapeta, although obviously we’ll wait and see about that in the race.

“The horse is in very good form. It’s just a case of whether or not he’s got the tactical speed. If they go very slowly and then sprint, it might hold against him.

“(Jockey) Gerald Mosse has ridden all around the world, won many Group Ones and both of us have decided what will be, will be.

“He’s not a horse to bully. He won’t like being bullied, so – if he jumps well – he’ll sit close or, if he jumps slowly, he’ll obviously be where he is and he’ll finish.

“He will stay. You need to stay on the Tapeta and he will do. It’s a question of whether we lose the race through the middle for not having enough tactical speed.

“He looks well and he’s fit. Whether he’s good enough though is another matter.”


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