The Peter Gelagotis-trained Mourinho posted the biggest win of his career on Sunday after taking out the Listed Cranbourne Cup (2025m) at Royal Randwick Racecourse.
Cranbourne Cup winner Mourinho may enjoy a step up in class in the Mackinnon Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
A step up to Group One is now being considered for the seven-year-old gelding, according to stable manager Manny Gelagotis who said Mourinho deserved the chance of running at racing’s elite level given his stellar form this preparation.
The $1 million Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington Racecourse on November 1 is being considered as his step up race.
“I really think now he deserves a shot at the Mackinnon Stakes,” Gelagotis told TVN, noting the gelding has performed well in previous weight-for-age races.
Mourinho has placed in all four of his last starts since August, including a second in the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) and a minor placing in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m).
He missed out on a win to The Cleaner in both.
“I know it’s easy to say, but the horse had clear-cut form,” Gelagotis continued.
“As I said to the owners, if The Cleaner was in the race he would be in the red. If the form was true then the horse should have come out and done what he did.
“He was always going to be tough to run down, he’s a tough horse.’
This was a great result for Mourinho, who completed a comeback from a last place in last year’s Cranbourne Cup.
He scored the 2014 Cranbourne Cup victory by just a neck from fast-finishing More Than Sacred with Le Roi a half-length away in third.
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2014 Cranbourne Cup Results & Finishing Order
Randwick Race 8– 12/10/2014
| Finish | No | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | MOURINHO | Peter Gelagotis | Craig Newitt | – | 9 | 59kg | $4.60 |
| 2 | 7 | MORE THAN SACRED | Robert Smerdon | Glen Boss | 0.3L | 10 | 54kg | $8.50 |
| 3 | 5 | LE ROI | Tony McEvoy | Damien Oliver | 0.8L | 8 | 57kg | $3.80 |
| 4 | 12 | COUNT ENCOSTA | Darren Weir | Dean Yendall | 1.55L | 2 | 54kg | $9 |
| 4 | 4 | EPINGLE | Michael Kent | Luke Nolen | 1.55L | 11 | 57kg | $9 |
| 6 | 11 | ALI VITAL | Robbie Laing | Darren Gauci | 2.05L | 4 | 54kg | $26 |
| 7 | 1 | MR O’CEIRIN | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 4.8L | 3 | 59.5kg | $7.50 |
| 8 | 13 | FIRST COURSE | Ken Keys | Ms Jackie Beriman (a) | 7.3L | 12 | 54kg | $21 |
| 9 | 6 | AT FIRST SIGHT | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 7.7L | 5 | 56.5kg | $11 |
| 10 | 8 | YOU THINK SO | Michael Kent | Jake Bayliss (a) | 7.8L | 6 | 54kg | $41 |
| 11 | 3 | BLACK TYCOON | Darren Weir | Ben Melham | 8.3L | 7 | 58.5kg | $51 |
| 12 | 15 | ROWLAND | Robbie Laing | Ms Katelyn Mallyon (a) | 9.55L | 1 | 54kg | $101 |
