Ed Dunlop plotting route to the Melbourne Cup with Red Verdon
The classy five-year-old finished second in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot
ED Dunlop will be hoping for a change of luck in the Melbourne Cup this year with Red Verdon.
The Newmarket-based trainer saddled the brave Red Cadeaux to finish second in the historic Australian race three times between 2011 and 2014.
Red Verdon ran a career-best when last sighted at Royal Ascot, finishing second to Crystal Ocean in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.
The five-year-old has gone up to a mark of 113 as a result of that performance, and Dunlop confirmed that the Flemington two-miler on 6 November was now firmly on the radar.
He said: "It was a great run in the Hardwicke, considering he was a 33-1 shot, and that has put his rating up to 113.
"He has had an easy week and is back in training now and seems fresh and well.
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"He is in the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket, but that might come too soon, while he has not got an entry in the King George, so he won't be going for that.
"There are races like the Prix Kergorlay we could look at that.
"After his run at Ascot the Melbourne Cup is now under serious consideration with him having gone up in the weights again.
"It looks like a strong contingent might be going out there from Europe this year."
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Dunlop said Red Verdon's cool-headed nature would be an advantage if he was to travel Down Under later this year
Dunlop continued: "He has a wonderful temperament and is a good, strong build.
"He has been over to France and Ireland, so he has done a little bit of travelling.
"You have got quarantine either end going to Australia, but the travelling would not be a reason we wouldn't go."