Pentathlon on Melbourne Cup trail
29 Sep 2016Goodwood Stud graduate Pentathlon will make his Australian debut in Sunday’s Gr.3 The Bart Cummings at Flemington.
The winner of the feature 2500 metre handicap will be exempt from the ballot of the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup.
“He can go from there to the Moonee Valley Cup and then hopefully straight to the cup,” trainer John Wheeler said.
Pentathlon crossed the Tasman this week off the back of two preparatory runs - he was unplaced on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay carnival over a mile and then showed improvement to finish sixth over 2000 metres on his return to Hastings.
The five-year-old is a proven stayer having already won over 3200 metres and he was narrowly beaten in last season’s Gr.2 Wellington Cup before a solid fourth in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup.
Pentathlon, who will be ridden by James McDonald, was bought by Wheeler out of Goodwood’s 2013 Select Sale line-up at Karaka for $85,000.