Following Protectionist's (GER) historic win in Tuesday's
Melbourne Cup, the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on
Saturday proved another triumph for the German-bred when Le Roi (GER) kept up a
relentless gallop to defeat Prince Of Penzance and the winners stablemate Big
Memory (FR).
It was the sixth win in Australia for the 6yo entire and his
seventh overall. (photo Lisa Grimm)
"His five runs this prep have been fantastic," said winning
trainer Tony McEvoy.
"He's just kept building and building. I was confident today
but I was worried about firm the ground was getting but he's a very good
galloper.
"He's a pretty good looking horse. He's a cracking individual. He's an entire and he's got the best
temperament you could ask for. He's a real pleasure to deal with."
Wet tracks early in Le Roi's preparation forced McEvoy to
abandon a Melbourne Cup campaign.
"We ran into a lot of wet ground so I transferred all
of my spring horses to Sydney and then it started raining in Sydney so we were
probably three or four weeks behind with him all the way through," McEvoy said.
"That's why we didn't target the Melbourne Cup this
year but it is on his agenda for next year."
A bowed tendon after finishing unplaced in the 2012 Group 1
The BMW at Randwick kept Le Roi off the track for almost a year.
He is a son of the champion German stallion Areion (Big
Shuffle x Aerleona by Caerleon) who was a Group II winning sprinter in Germany
and a brother to Group III King George Stakes winner and Group I Phoenix Stakes
placed, Agnetha.
A brother to the stakes-winner Limario, Le Roi is one of six
winners out of his dam Limaga (Lagunas).
