'We're excited to get him out here' - Ciaron Maher eyeing Melbourne Cup success with Hardwicke third Middle Earth

Ciaron Maher may not have sent a runner to Royal Ascot but the trainer did hold ownership interest at last week’s meeting in the form of Melbourne Cup hope Middle Earth.

Maher bought into Qatar Bloodstock’s son of Roaring Lion before his successful seasonal debut in the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes at Newbury last month.

The four-year-old followed up that first Group-race victory when finishing third behind Isle Of Jura and Goliath in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Middle Earth stayed on well under Oisin Murphy, which bodes well for a potential step up in trip to two miles at Flemington when he joins Maher later this year.

On the performance of Middle Earth, who has been trained by John and Thady Gosden for his eight starts in Britain, in last Saturday’s Group 2, Maher said: “He was a little bit slow into gear, they only went a moderate tempo and he closed off really well."

Middle Earth was seventh in last year’s St Leger before landing an Ascot Listed event over 1m6f on his final start as a three-year-old and Maher has experience of turning a European Group-race performer into a Melbourne Cup winner.

Gold Trip had won a French Group 2, finished fourth in the 2020 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe behind Sotsass and third in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on his final start for Fabrice Chappet before landing the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

Middle Earth is one of a host of contenders at 14-1 in bet365’s ante-post market behind impressive King Edward VII Stakes winner Calandagan, who is the 8-1 favourite for the prestigious handicap on November 5.

Ciaron Maher (right): hoping for more Melbourne Cup success that he enjoyed with David Eustace in 2022Credit: Vince Caligiuri

Maher, whose breakthrough Melbourne Cup victory with Gold Trip came when he trained in partnership with the now Hong Kong-based David Eustace, said: "We'll just work out where he is in terms of handicapping, but we're very excited to get him out here.

"I'd say the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups would be the way to go."

As well as Middle Earth’s placed effort, Maher was also reassured to watch Pentle Bay finish second in the Chesham Stakes, having paid £400,000 to buy into Teme Valley Racing’s son of New Bay at the Goffs London Sale last Monday.

Pentle Bay, who had made a successful debut for George Boughey in a Leicester maiden on his only previous start, was best of the rest behind next year’s 1,000 Guineas favourite Bedtime Story in the Listed opener on Saturday.

"He's obviously got some ability, he's bred to get over ground and you wouldn't think a New Bay should be doing what he's doing,” said Maher. “He's got plenty of options."

One of those could be the Caulfield Guineas on October 12, although Maher added: "Obviously it's tough to do early in the season being a northern hemisphere two-year-old, three-year-old."

Melbourne Cup (Flemington, November 5)
bet365: 8 Calandagan, 14 Belloccio, Circle Of Fire, Going The Distance, Middle Earth, Soulcombe, Without A Fight, 16 Blow The Horn, Giavellotto, Hamish, Justin Palace, Isle Of Jura, Vauban, 20 bar

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