THE Irish-bred Point Nepean has claimed the first automatic entry into the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

The Camelot colt, who won on debut at Navan in 2021 for Joseph O’Brien, before managing owner Lloyd Williams transferred him to Australia, won last Saturday’s Andrew Ramsden over 2,800 metres (14 furlongs) at Flemington.

Ridden by apprentice Alana Kelly for Robert Hickmont, Point Nepean put in a tough staying display to lead the field around the final bend, sustaining his advantage right to the line, winning by three-quarters of a length from the British-bred Iffraaj gelding Luncies and the Tavistock gelding Through Irish Eyes.

“We ended up a little bit wider than what I hoped, and we were expecting the speed to come out so he could get up outside them,” said Kelly. “It never did and the gaps didn‘t open up, but we wanted to get him on his bike. He’s an out and out stayer, he just runs them off their legs. He was just too tough.” Kelly has now improved her record to three wins from four rides on Point Nepean since March, and that matched with her ability to ride light places her firmly in the frame for a Cup ride as Point Nepean will drop substantially from the 58kg he carried on Saturday when Cup weights are released on September 6th.

Thrilled

The moment was not lost on Nick Williams who was thrilled to get their horse into the Cup.

“It’s amazing, it’s a great credit to all of our team up at Macedon. This horse has really come forward over the last two or three months. You don’t see them win like that very often, particularly an inexperienced horse against seasoned stayers,” he said.

Waller pleased with Nature Strip and Home Affairs

CHRIS Waller oversaw both his Royal Ascot aspirants at Rosehill on Tuesday. “They had a jump-out over 900 metres on the course proper,” said Waller. “They didn’t go together, they went with other horses. The tracks in Sydney are still really wet.

“They were well held, they weren’t pushed to run time. (Nature Strip) is in really good shape and mentally he has never been better. He is exactly where we need him to be.

“Home Affairs had to labour through very heavy conditions but he’s coming along nicely. He’s such a fast horse and needs that quick ground to get the best out of him. But we are still a month away and both horses are tracking along nicely.”

Waller will use Lambourn to prepare the pair. “Charlie Duckworth (Waller’s racing manager) is from Lambourn so he has the local knowledge,” said Waller. “James McDonald spent some time there with Charlie Hills so he is very familiar with the gallops too.”

The champion trainer also holds little concern on the effect the travel may have on the pair. “I think they are the right two horses to travel to England. They are good mates.

“They are next to each other (in the stables) every day and are good ‘cobbers’, they will keep each other company. There is no nervous energy in them, either. Even this morning they just walked around very relaxed after their jump-outs.”