FROM LAST AT CORK TO PERHAPS A MELBOURNE CUP TRIUMPH?

IT could be a “corker” of a Melbourne Cup result!

An Australian Bloodstock syndicate, which includes Newcastle owners Roger Moore and Scott Doring, now has a prime candidate for Australia’s great race – the $10m Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.

What a story it will be if blueblood Irish stayer Defiantly, who scored a “golden ticket” into the Cup by romping away with the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (2800m) at Deauville in France last night, is the 2026 winner.

Especially considering he ran a distant last at Cork in Ireland in April at his first start after being purchased by Hunter-based Australian Bloodstock.

Carrying 63.5kg topweight in a 2011m Handicap at his first outing since last October, Defiantly settled last of 16 runners, never improved his position and was beaten 18 lengths.

“The ambulance (following the field) nearly hit him,” Australian Bloodstock director Jamie Lovett joked today.

“We had a throw at the stumps buying him on his pedigree (he is a younger half-brother to Chris Waller’s Group 1 winner Buckaroo and Middle Earth, Ciaron Maher’s Melbourne Cup placegetter last year), and didn’t pay a fortune for him.

“But it looked as though we might have gone down the wrong track. However, Defiantly’s trainer Joseph O’Brien wasn’t fazed at all by the Cork result."

“He told us the distance was too short for him, and that he would be allright.”

With two Melbourne Cup winners already, O’Brien knew what he was talking about.

Defiantly was narrowly beaten at the Royal Ascot carnival in June over 4013m, and has really responded to the addition of blinkers, subsequently scoring easily over 4148m at the Goodwood carnival in late July and the Prix Kergolay, from whom Australian Bloodstock’s now deceased Protectionist (2014) and earlier Americain (2010) have won the Melbourne Cup in the same year.

“The blinkers have really switched Defiantly on,” Lovett said.

“He is a very strong stayer who keeps improving, and has had only 10 starts. We would have been happy with a Top 3 finish in the Prix Kergorlay, but at least his win will help pay expenses for the trip to Australia."

“Defiantly will undergo all the necessary scans and vet examinations, and will come to Melbourne on the second shipment of international horses."

“I doubt he will have another race before the Melbourne Cup. Being a Group 2 winner now, obviously he is going to get more weight than we had anticipated. Protectionist got 55kg initially but carried 56.5kg when the weights went up in 2014.”

Australian Bloodstock now has two excellent Melbourne Cup prospects; Defiantly joining the Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea, who won the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer (2671m) at Newbury on August 15.

He will come to Australia on the first shipment, and may run in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17 en route to the Melbourne Cup.

Defiantly was a dramatic Cup firmer after his all the way five and a half lengths’ Prix Kergorlay victory, and is now at $15 with TAB.com.au; the same as Wine Dark Sea.

Entries for the Melbourne Cup close at 11am next Tuesday.

Australian Bloodstock, which also won the Cup in 2022 with another import Gold Trip, has Caulfield Cup hope Royal Supremacy resuming in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

HOOFNOTE: Well-known Fox League host Yvonne Sampson and her husband, Sydney media identity Chris O’Keeffe, also are members of Australian Bloodstock’s Defiantly syndicate. The couple flew to the UK in June to see the gelding nearly win at Royal Ascot at big odds. STORY BY JOHN CURTIS, AUGUST 24, 2026.