Chalk Up Another One for Germany

Following Protectionist’s (GER) historic win in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday proved another triumph for the German-bred when Le Roi (GER) kept up a relentless gallop to defeat Prince Of Penzance and the winners stablemate Big Memory (FR).

It was the sixth win in Australia for the 6yo entire and his seventh overall.

“His five runs this prep have been fantastic,” said winning trainer Tony McEvoy.

“He’s just kept building and building. I was confident today but I was worried about firm the ground was getting but he’s a very good galloper.

“He’s a pretty good looking horse. He’s a cracking individual. He’s an entire and he’s got the best temperament you could ask for. He’s a real pleasure to deal with.”

Wet tracks early in Le Roi’s preparation forced McEvoy to abandon a Melbourne Cup campaign.

“We ran into a lot of wet ground so I transferred all of my spring horses to Sydney and then it started raining in Sydney so we were probably three or four weeks behind with him all the way through,” McEvoy said.

“That’s why we didn’t target the Melbourne Cup this year but it is on his agenda for next year.”

A bowed tendon after finishing unplaced in the 2012 Group 1 The BMW at Randwick kept Le Roi off the track for almost a year.

 

Source: http://www.breednet.com.au/news/105936/Chalk-Up-Another-One-for-Germany