Trainer at odds to explain Persan’s last-start Flemington failure but Melbourne Cup hopeful ready for Saturday

Persan will forge ahead to the $400,000 Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes on Saturday, hoping to claim the Melbourne Cup golden ticket, despite a last-start Flemington “head-scratcher”.

Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace look set to have three runners in the 2800m feature, with Grand Promenade and Through Irish Eyes, both last-start winners, to join Persan at Flemington.

Persan remains the stable’s top seed despite an unusually poor performance on Anzac Day, running fourth in a five-horse field at Flemington as the $1.60 favourite.

“We were obviously disappointed with his run the other day,” Eustace said.

“Not really sure why he put in that sort of performance.

“Nothing came of it (veterinary checks), he had two pretty hard runs over 2000m off the back of a break, I’m not a great believer in that third-up syndrome but I’m going to hang on it now.

“We wouldn‘t start the horse if we weren’t happy with him, he seems absolutely fine.”

The ‘win and you’re in’ Andrew Ramsden has been the target race for Persan since the four-year-old, who ran a brilliant fifth in the Cup last year, resumed in March with a gritty win at The Valley.

Persan was only narrowly beaten second-up in the Group 3 Easter Cup, sustaining a long and wide run to finish behind Hang Man.

“It’s a real head-scratcher still,” Eustace said of the last-start defeat.

“Frankly, he was close to a machine, you always knew he was going to turn up and run his best, not always win, and he turned up and didn’t run his best, I suppose they’re all allowed one poor run.

“When you don’t get an explanation it’s obviously very frustrating.”

Persan is likely to be spelled after Saturday, regardless of the result, to prepare for the spring.

The $1m-earner raced through the winter last year, going from a Bendigo maiden in May to the Cup, after he won the Group 3 Bart Cummings.

The spaced 11-start campaign netted six wins, four minor placings and the eye-catching fifth in the Cup despite jumping from barrier 19.

Outside of Cup winner Twilight Payment and third-placegetter Prince Of Arran, who savaged the line, the performance of Persan was arguably the run of the race.

Eustace hailed the significance of the Andrew Ramsden.

“You can play ducks and drakes during the spring,” Eustace said, signalling the importance of being able to prepare solely for the Cup rather than qualification.

“We got a couple of others going into the race with great form, Through Irish Eyes is going there and so is Grand Promenade, both off the back of very good wins.”

Mick Dee, who partnered Persan in the Cup, is booked for the ride again on Saturday, with John Allen enlisted for Grand Promenade.

A decision has yet to be made on the rider for VRC St Leger winner Through Irish Eyes.

Originally published asPersan leads Maher-Eustace trio’s hunt for Cup golden ticket

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