Red Cadeaux lands the Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup

Red Cadeaux, ridden by Tom McLaughlin, powers clear of his rivals in the Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Red Cadeaux, who failed to win last year’s Melbourne Cup by only a whisker when runner-up to Dunaden, brought a touch of class to this afternoon’s Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup at York with a comfortable one length victory in the hands of Tom McLaughlin, for whom this was the biggest win of his career.

Glen’s Diamond was a fast finishing second with Harris Tweed, who attempted to make all the running until Red Cadeaux surged past him over a furlong out, in third place in the first race in the Long Distance division of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

The Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup was run over a mile and three-quarters and Red Cadeaux could drop down to a mile and a half to run next in the first Middle Distance race of the Series, the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup (sponsored by Investec) at Epsom on Saturday 2 June.

Winning trainer, Ed Dunlop, enjoying his first QIPCO British Champions Series victory, said: "It’s a big day for the horse and the team.

"He’s been a star for all of us and it’s fantastic.

"He’s a gentle giant. He doesn’t worry about life and he’s improved phenomenally as he’s got older.

"I’m very proud of the horse and the team and I’m particularly pleased for Tom as he’s been a huge part of this horse’s career.

"I don’t know what we’ll do now. He’s in the Coronation Cup and we might give it a go. He’s in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot too. But today is a huge day as he’s been a bridesmaid quite a few times and today was his day.

"Let’s hope he stays in one piece. He’ll race on until Royal Ascot and after that he’ll have a holiday.

"Then he’ll have a race again and then go back to Australia and maybe have two runs."

McLaughlin said: "This is my biggest win on these shores. I’ve won the Winter Derby and I won the Curragh Cup, but it’s great to win on a horse like him."