Hawkesbury Gold Cup or Anniversary Vase options for consistent galloper

Ultra-consistent galloper Regal Zeus has two Stakes race options lined up for Saturday as trainer John McArdle weighs up his next move.

The four-year-old will be accepted for both the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) and the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield, following his breakthrough black-type win in the Listed Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo earlier this month.

“He will be an acceptor up there and for the Listed Mile race down here,” McArdle said.

“We’ll just have a look at both races, but the Hawkesbury Gold Cup does get you into The Big Dance, so that’s certainly a good carrot, so we’ll weigh it up and make a plan.”

The $3 million The Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day offers a major incentive for Hawkesbury Cup runners who finish top two.

Regal Zeus has been remarkably reliable, placing in all but one of his past 11 starts, his only blemish coming at Caulfield before a quick rebound victory at Moonee Valley.

His autumn form includes a second over 1200m at Moonee Valley, a Caulfield win, and his recent Bendigo success.

If the stable opts to travel, it would mark Regal Zeus’s first trip interstate, something McArdle thinks the horse can handle.

“He’s a tough horse,” McArdle said.

“It will be the first time that he will travel if we go to Hawkesbury, but not too much bothers him.

“We’ll accept in both places, look at fields and barriers and work it out from there.”

Hawkesbury has drawn 22 nominations led by My Oberon, while the Anniversary Vase at Caulfield has 25 entries, headed by Pride Of Jenni. Holymanz, Socks Nation, and Welwal are also cross-nominated.