Valour Road Aims to Defend Idyllic Prince Stakes Title in Horse Racing Comeback
After a winless winter campaign, the veteran gelding Valour Road is set to make his return to the racetrack, as he prepares to defend his Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m) crown on August 24. The nine-year-old, trained by Simon Miller, has enjoyed a remarkable career, and the trainer is hopeful that the old warrior still has some fight left in him.
“He trialed good and is on a race-by-race scenario,” Miller said. “When he’s had enough, we’ll retire him, but if he’s still going around good, we’ll keep going.”
Valour Road made a spectacular start to his racing journey, winning the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (1200m) and Karrakatta Plate (1200m) from his first two starts. The quality galloper has since reached Group 2 status twice, with victories in the Euclase Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide and the Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot. His impressive haul of stakes victories also includes the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes (1000m), Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m), and Group 3 AJ Scahill Stakes (1400m).
The veteran gelding’s current record stands at 11 wins and eight placings from 38 starts, amassing a total of $1.6 million in prize money. Valour Road made a grand return to win last year’s Idyllic Prince Stakes, scoring first-up after a 15-month break, and the team is hopeful he can replicate that success.
“He’ll go to the Idyllic and if he still has the zest, we’ll push on to the summer carnival,” Miller said. “Whether you go a Eurythmic, a Lee Steere and Gold Rush, they are all suitable races.”
Elsewhere, Miller’s Darby Racing acquisition, Iowa, has also been making waves in the West Australian racing scene. The seven-year-old Irish import scored a convincing win at Belmont last Saturday in the Vale Pat Oliver Handicap (2100m), and the trainer has set his sights on the upcoming Boulder Cup (2100m) and Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) events.
“He’ll spin around and go again in three weeks,” Miller said, indicating the gelding’s busy schedule in the lead-up to the major Kalgoorlie racing carnival.
Fans of the sport will be eagerly anticipating Valour Road’s return to the track as he attempts to defend his Idyllic Prince Stakes title, while also keeping a close eye on the progress of Miller’s other promising stayer, Iowa, as the spring racing season heats up in Western Australia.
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