'Tough' Trekking Scores for Godolphin in Goodwood

Just short of a year since his maiden victory in the Stradbroke Handicap (G1), the James Cummings-trained Trekking denied Adelaide local Gytrash victory in his hometown sprint in The Furphy Goodwood (G1) May 16 at Morphettville.

Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) winner Gytrash had the run of the 1,200-meter (six-furlong) race, sitting outside the leader for the trip. He looked all but home with 200 meters to go, until Trekking found another gear and stormed home to beat him by a nose.

Last year's Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) winner, Lyre, produced another gallant effort, flashing home to finish 1 3/4 lengths away in third.

Trekking was steered to victory by Victorian jockey John Allen, who made the decision to spend two weeks in isolation in South Australia to be able to ride across the Adelaide carnival. 

It is a decision that has proven fruitful for Allen, who won the South Australian Derby (G1) aboard Russian Camelot a week earlier. 

"What a great little horse," Allen said of the 5-year-old Street Cry gelding. "This is my first time riding him, but I was surprised when I got out to the mounting yard and just realized how small he was.

"But he was tough. We had a super run. The runner-up gave a really good kick. I thought when I got out we were going to catch him. He kept kicking, but to my lad's credit he really fought and put his head down on the line."

Trekking was just the second horse Allen had ridden for Godolphin and the first since Cummings has taken over as head trainer.

"I think I might have had one ride for (Godolphin) before around Kyneton in a maiden," Allen said. "It was good to get the ride today. They're obviously very famous colors, and James Cummings is part of a very famous family.

"It's my first ride for him as well, so it was a good start to our partnership, hopefully."

Trekking has won 10 of his 28 starts, six of them at stakes level, with prize money totaling AU$3,765,495. The Darley-bred is one of three winners out of the three-time scorer Outdoor, a Redoute's Choice mare who is a half sister to the stakes-placed pair of Minnesinger and Entertains. Trekking's second dam is three-time group 1 winner Serenade Rose.

Oceanex Books Cup Spot 

Talented mare Oceanex has booked her ticket to the Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1) in November, taking out the "Win and You're In" Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington. 

The 4-year-old trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr. returned to Flemington for the first time since taking out the Matriarch Stakes (G2) in November and remains unbeaten from three starts at the course. 

Ridden by Mark Zahra, Oceanex jumped from the inside barrier and settled in the perfect position just behind Warrnambool Cup winner Too Close The Sun, who led the trip early in the 2,800-meter (about 1 3/4-mile) race.

Zahra steered the mare off the rails in the straight, and the pair burst through a gap with 300 meters to go, fighting off Adelaide Cup (G2) winner King of Leogrance to win by three-quarters of a length. 

"There'll be a bit of nerves now," Price said. "These owners, they're like mums and dads, the Bonbeach footy club boys are in it. It's going to be a sensational story."

After three unplaced runs over shorter distances in Sydney earlier in Oceanex's campaign, Price took the recommendation of Tom Marquand, who suggested the mare would improve over longer trips. 

And that she did, winning the Port Adelaide Cup in her previous start. 

"Tom Marquand rode her in Sydney and said, 'Do you want to try this over a mile and a half?'" Price said. "So her first go at 2,500 (meters) in Adelaide was strong, and today was fantastic. I know she drew barrier 1 and got the gun ride, but she beat the right horse in the race and she won convincingly."

Though the stable has trained a plethora of group 1 winners over the last decade, Oceanex will be its first Melbourne Cup runner since 2005, and Price said he will need to think about how to campaign her leading into the staying feature. 

"I'll have to think about it now. The pressure is on," Price said. "She hasn't had a grinding stayers prep or anything. She's got a beautiful, clean set of lungs and she stays."

Oceanex has only finished out of the placings in five of her 18 starts. She has accrued AU$676,970 in prize money.

She was purchased by Price for NZ$70,000 at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka and is one of eight winners from the stakes-placed Danasinga daughter Danex, including BRC Rough Habit Plate (G3) winner Amexed and the stakes-placed Marcellina and Digital Fortress, as well as five-time winner Danahere, who produced listed winner Saint Patricks Day.

Danex has a 3-year-old filly by Per Incanto, a weanling colt by Pierro, and was covered by Coolmore's undefeated Triple Crown hero Justify  last spring.