Like many trainers, Raymond Connors has always dreamed of having a runner in the Melbourne Cup, and reality is now starting to hit home as he prepares Trav towards Australia’s greatest race.
Conners has had plenty of success in New Zealand’s three feature two-mile races, with Blood Brotha winning back-to-back New Zealand Cups in 2011 and 2012, before taking out the Wellington Cup in 2013 while Trav completed the set when victorious in the Auckland Cup in March.
Following that win, Connors mapped out a plan to get his charge to Flemington in spring, and that campaign began at Foxton on Tuesday where Trav trialled over 1000m.
Connors was pleased with his hit-out, where he finished third over a distance far short of his best, and he believes Trav is on track at this part of his preparation.
“We are going to give him the opportunity and just see where it takes us. We will try and get him over there (to Australia),” Connors said.
“We will give him a couple of races here and then we will head to Aussie. We will probably get him over there in early October.”
The first race on the agenda is the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 4, with the winner gaining automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup.
