2025 Melbourne Cup: Ethical Diamond wins at Royal Ascot
Irish master trainer Willie Mullins has unveiled a potential Melbourne Cup candidate in Royal Ascot winner Ethical Diamond.
Ethical Diamond, raced by owners of stablemate Absurde, who ran seventh and fifth respectively in the Cup the past two years, won the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (2400m) by two lengths under champion jockey Ryan Moore.
'We will give him a little break and look at York – that is normally where we go from here,' Mullins said.
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'The Ebor would look possible. We would love to go to Melbourne.
'If we can get him qualified, that would be wonderful.
'We might see if we can get him Group-placed. I think he would suit the race (Melbourne Cup).'
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Mullins has wanted to win the Cup since he fell in love with the race that stops a nation in 1993 as a spectator when Irish champion Vintage Crop, trained by Dermot Weld, triumphed at a Flemington.
Mullins has placed in the Cup twice previously with Max Dynamite.
Mullins travelled Vauban, now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Absurde to Melbourne the past two years without luck.
The Ebor Handicap at York offers the winner a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup.
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Vauban won a 2800m handicap at Royal Ascot in 2023 and then qualified for the Cup with a Group 3 victory in Ireland.
Ethical Diamond must at the very least now place in a Group race at 2400m and beyond to be eligible (pass ballot clause) for Cup consideration.
An Ebor win would assure the emerging stayer a start in the Cup but also attract a weight penalty.
Vauban carried 55kg in 2023 Melbourne Cup, finished 14th of 23, and melted in hot conditions.
Royal Ascot has coincidently been held under Australian-like conditions this year, with a good to firm-rated track and temperatures nudging 30C.
Ethical Diamond revelled on the fast ground.
'There is a big win over hurdles in Ethical Diamond too but, at the moment, we will concentrate on Flat,' Mullins said.
'To me, I wouldn't think he loves this type of (fast) ground, but all the flat people tell me horses by Awtaad often like it.'
Gilbert Gardiner
Sports reporter
Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun.
@gilbertgardiner
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