Australian Racing - Racing: Kheir confident of Melbourne success

bet365 News Team Published: Apr 03 2022 14:39

Owner Ozzie Kheir is confident Hitotsu has the talent and ability to win the Melbourne Cup after the latest success.

The three-year-old colt made history on Saturday when he added the Group 1 Australian Derby to his victories in the Group 1 VRC Derby and Group 1 Australian Guineas and is now 10/1 to claim the spoils at Flemington on 1st November.

Melbourne trip possible

In the immediate aftermath of Hitotsu's latest success, co-trainer David Eustace was quick to put the Group 1 Cox Plate on the table as the colt's big spring target, but having had time to digest the performance Kheir said the Melbourne Cup was now in the mix.

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"We just think he's got so much ability and now we know he's got so much determination and grit to win," Kheir told Radio TAB. "Those two factors can go a very, very long way.

"In speaking to Dave Eustace a few times, he actually said this horse will be our Melbourne Cup horse because he knows how much I love racing in the Melbourne Cup."

Hitotsu has big potential

He added: "He's done it before but I do think he'll end up being a horse that can run over 1600 metres and 2000 metres at the elite level and be able to run out two miles, whether he could win it (Melbourne Cup) or not, that's the question.

"But I do think he's going to be elite at that 2000-metre plus range, just because of his aerobic fitness. They've (Ciaron Maher and Eustace) had a big opinion of him since day dot and that opinion just gets bigger and bigger."