Paths of Glory
Memories flashed back to China Horse Club’s inaugural year of racing in 2013 as Paths of Glory burst between runners in the dying strides to capture today’s feature AUD160,000 Listed Wyong Cup (2100m).
In a script mirroring many plotlines to the Club’s inaugural G1 win in the SGD1.35 million Longines Singapore Gold Cup, it was again an imported runner coming from last-to-first to score a pulsating win for the ‘old firm’ of China Horse Club and Freedman.
Tropaios
In 2013, it was Michael Freedman and Tropaios who delivered with the support of jockey Tommy Berry. Today, it was brothers Michael and Richard who had Paths of Glory primed and jockey Rachel King who pulled the trigger to land the bullseye.
“Rachel’s ride was just sensational,” Richard Freedman told Sky Thoroughbred Central immediately after the race.
Rachel King, jockey
“I said to Rachel, ‘He is first-up for a while over 2100 metres, you are going to have to give him a rest somewhere’. She might have taken that a bit literally. [Paths of Glory] was resting up out the back where he has never raced, but I thought coming to the corner that he is running into this, I didn’t think he would run all the way but he did.
“He is a genuine stayer and the longer they get the better he will go. He likes the 2400m trip so I suppose it’s off to the Newcastle Cup now.”
Tropaios’ Singapore heroics ensured he etched his own piece of history within China Horse Club. He was the Club’s maiden G1 winner and its first millionaire earner and was honoured with a retirement at the Club’s estate in the Southern Highlands of Australia where he remains happy and round today.
If Paths of Glory can continue on his winning way, he may have his own ‘Tropaios moment’. For all of its success worldwide, the opportunity exists for the steely grey to become the China Horse Club’s first European import to win a G1 in Australia. For Paths of Glory to earn that opportunity he will need to continue on his upward trajectory.
The Wyong Gold Cup brought up successive wins for the six-year-old who has really found his rhythm this preparation. Not unlike many European imports that are related to Australia, he has improved noticeably from his first to his second preparation. Right now, his record stands at six wins from 13 race starts with prize money topping AUD200,000 and the promise of more to come this spring.
The G3 Newcastle Cup now beckons – a race China Horse Club has had repeated flirtations with in recent years. In 2015, the handsome Orbec was a close third. In 2017, the Richard Freedman trained Auvray was a close second and he repeated that performance with another runner-up finish in 2018. A strong showing from Paths of Glory may earn him a berth in the G1 The Metropolitan, Sydney’s staying feature for the spring.
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