Unbeaten Eclair Big Bang on Exciting Gr.1 Mission

25 August 2013

Caulfield Guineas fancy Eclair Big Bang sounded off a warning to his three-year-old peers with a bold season resuming win at Morphettville on Saturday.

The unbeaten three-year-old son of Savabeel was believed to be vulnerable by his trainer Phillip Stokes heading into the 1000m contest, but not only did he allay this fear under jockey Dom Tourneur’s guidance, he produced the track’s fastest 600m sectional of the day.

“He was only 80% fit and it was a heavy track, so I did go into the race thinking he was vulnerable,” said Stokes.

“He has a lot of raw ability though and he’s a horse that just wants to win – which is not something you can train into them”.

Raced by Mr Thomas Li, the Executive Director & Chief Executive of the Macau Jockey Club, Eclair Big Bang gave rise to the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas dream last March following his ultra-impressive two-year-old debut.

The dominant 3.3 length win not only prompted connections to nominate the talented Jason Abrahams-bred gelding for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas, but for Australasia’s greatest weight-for-age contest, the Gr.1 WS Cox Plate, also.

In the meantime, however, Stokes is taking things one step at a time.

“He’s pulled up well from Saturday, so our focus now is the Gr.2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington in two week’s time,” he said.

“All going to plan, we’ll then head to Guineas Prelude, which is the goal we are aiming to have him 100% right for. Only after that, will we take a serious look at our Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate dream.”

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Twenty-four hours following the final WS Cox Plate meeting run on the Moonee Valley track of old before it shuts for two years to make way for a new precinct, the race’s 2004 winner, Savabeel, continued his roll of runners, and this time it was via five-year-old On The Lash (ex Candelabra) at Sha Tin.