NEWCASTLE CUP WINNER CHASING “GLENCADAM GOLD DOUBLE”
NEWCASTLE Gold Cup winner Aethelwulf will attempt to do the “Glencadam Gold double” in next month’s The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick.
Trainer Matthew Smith reports the talented young stayer has pulled up well from his easy victory in last Friday’s $300,000 Group 3 Gold Cup (2300m) at Broadmeadow, and he favours going to the Group 2 feature on Saturday week rather than heading straight to Melbourne.
Aethelwulf at $1.20 was the shortest priced Newcastle Cup favorite since the UK import Glencadam Gold, who started at $1.30 when he beat eight rivals in 2012, and then won The Metropolitan (then a Group 1) in much easier fashion.
Glencadam Gold carried 58kg (weight were raised 1.5kg) at Newcastle after winning his previous two starts (his first two since joining the Gai Waterhouse AO stable) in Sydney, including the Listed Premier’s Cup (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens.
He won The Metropolitan by nearly four lengths with 53kg as a $2.80 favorite, and later ran sixth to the previous year’s Newcastle Cup winner Green Moon in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
As the Randwick staying feature recently was downgraded to Group 2 status, nominations will not be taken until Monday week (September 28).
Aethelwulf, a four-year-old son of Saxon Warrior (also the sire of freakish Melbourne mare Sheeza Alibi), was purchased by Smith for $26,000 at the 2024 Inglis Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association yearling sale in Sydney.
His seven starts for five wins has returned nearly $380,000.
‘The Group 3 Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington the same day as The Metropolitan provides the winner with automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup (at Flemington on November 3),” Smith said today.
“But I feel it is best to go to The Metropolitan.
“We’ll see how Aethewulf goes there before worrying about heading south.”
Aethelwulf is currently a $3 favorite for The Metropolitan with TAB.com.au, ahead of yesterday’s Randwick Group 2 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) winner The Euphrates ($4.50).
They are the only two horses under double figures.
Smith’s stayer continues to firm for the $10m Melbourne Cup, and is on the fourth line of betting at $15 (after earlier being $51), with last year’s Caulfield-Melbourne Cups winner Half Yours heading the market at $9.
Glencadam Gold was the last horse 14 years ago to complete the Newcastle Cup – The Metropolitan double, although Royal Supremacy was runner-up to Soul Of Spain at Newcastle last year before taking the Randwick feature.
Royal Supremacy turned the tables on Aethelwulf’s brilliant young jockey Zac Lloyd’s mount Soul Of Spain.
Former New Zealander No Compromise was third in stablemate Great House’s 2021 Newcastle Cup before winning The Metropolitan the following year.
. Last Friday’s Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) winner Fully Lit will be eligible for a penalty for Saturday week’s $1.5m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.
Fully Lit carried 55.5kg when he ran his rivals off their legs in the Cameron, and currently has 50kg.
The Cameron winner gains a “free ticket” into the Epsom, but does not escape the penalty clause.
Fully Lit (with 54kg) ran third to Headley Grange in last year’s Cameron before with 50kg, making another bold attempt to lead throughout in the Epsom, beating all bar champion mare Autumn Glow.
STORY JOHN CURTIS, SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS
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