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Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray continued an outstanding season with their stayers when up-and-coming star Nereus powered home to win the Gr.2 City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday.
The Cambridge-based training partnership completed a rare double in March with two-mile specialist Mahrajaan victorious in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m), and look to have another staying star on their hands with four-year-old Nereus.
The son of Savabeel had established a formidable record over his brief seven-start career, never featuring outside of the top three, including four victories alongside a narrow second in the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m) in January.
His impeccable record has included two previous successes at the champagne turf, and the four-year-old journeyed south on black-type debut in the Awapuni Gold Cup, closing the $4.80 equal second-favourite behind the well-performed Arby.
Carrying the silks of breeder Waikato Stud, Nereus was positioned ideally in the one-one by Joe Doyle, enjoying an economical trip in behind the leaders in Skyman and Langkawi.
Skyman gained a break at the top of the straight leaving much of the field flat-footed, but Nereus wore down the pacemaker and showed a strong turn-of-foot late to hold off He's A Doozy, a Group One winner returning to top form.
The victory was Doyle's 82nd of the season and an 11th at stakes level, as he sits 3rd on the Jockey's Premiership behind Warren Kennedy and Michael McNab.
"He's a lovely little horse, he's not very imposing to look at, but he's got a big heart and he tries very hard," Doyle said.
Ritchie was swift in praising the ride of Doyle, who was having his first ride aboard the gelding.
"It was a gun ride, just as Michael McNab has on him in the past. When you're in the one-one you get your chance, these good jockeys always do that," Ritchie said.
"He's a very good horse, maybe the best in the stable. He's definitely better on top of the ground, he lets down much quicker and we've got some exciting times ahead."
Ritchie admitted the more suitable option for his charge may have been the Listed Hawke's Bay Cup (2200m) next Saturday at Otaki, but the two-week turnaround to the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) offered an opportunity for a golden ticket into the A$5 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October.
If he takes his place, Nereus will attempt to become the second New Zealand-trained horse to qualify for an iconic Australian feature, after the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Mark Twain earned a place in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November.
"It wasn't the ideal race for him today with the set weights and penalties, but the Mornington Cup is in two weeks, and taking a leaf out of Roger James' book, that's a golden ticket to the Caulfield Cup," Ritchie said.
"He's a nifty little horse, who I think will get around Mornington and Caulfield well, if he keeps lifting the bar and getting over it.
"He's got the pedigree, the temperament, and the will to win."
Out of an unraced Pins mare Eudora, Nereus has earned $258,000 in stakes earnings for Waikato Stud.
