DURSTON GIVES BREEDER KIRSTEN RAUSING A FIFTH GROUP 1 SUCCESS IN 2022
DURSTON (GB) became the third individual Group 1 winner bred at Lanwades Stud this year after winning the Caulfield Cup in Melbourne on Saturday. In doing so, the gelding gave Lanwades resident stallion SEA THE MOON a second Group 1 winner after 2020 Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes laureate ALPINE STAR.
A spot in the joint second richest Group 1 race in Australia eluded Durston at the declaration stage, with the horse only making it as first reserve. However, with the withdrawal of fellow British-bred MAXIMAL (GB), Durston was given a chance to race.
Following on the rails towards the back of the field, jockey Michael Dee angled out as the field rounded the final turn, coming with a run down the outside to claim the one and a half mile (2,400 metres) contest in the final strides.
The gelding, who was previously trained in Britain by David Simcock, joins Arc winner ALPINISTA (GB), already a three-time Group 1 winner this year, and St Leger winner ELDAR ELDAROV (GB) in the 2022 hall of fame for Miss Rausing’s breeding operation. He also continues the impressive record of Lanwades-bred horses in Australia, adding to a trio of Group 1 contests won by ZAAKI (GB) last year and going one better than recent Group 1 Metropolitan runner-up LE DON DE VIE (GB).
Durston, who is partly owned by the Australian arm of Highclere Racing, is now likely to race in Australia’s most prestigious race, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup, on 2nd November over 2 miles.