Caravan follows up Judge Victory - Big challenges ahead

Both horses are now in line for bigger challenges, with Just The Judge, who is owned in partnership with the Sangster Family, heading to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf - ahead of an appearance at Tattersalls' December Sale in Newmarket - while Caravan Rolls on could line up in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

His victory at Geelong Racecourse came under jockey Craig Williams, whose five wins in the race included one in 2011 on Pearl Bloodstock's Dunaden - that horse went on to land the Melbourne Cup, Australia's most famous race.

Today he and six-year-old Caravan Rolls On held a late charge from Marksmanship with Like A Carousel running on for third.

Williams said: "I think it's important that if something doesn't work out you know what the horse can do and can't do. The gear change, the way he came into the yard today, the way he stood in the gates; he was a race horse today and you saw him really outstay them late.

"They tell me that he's a horse that really likes firm ground and I was really mindful of that today and he towed me through the whole part; we got a little bit neat in the entrance to the straight and he just pulled his way straight through there."

In hope that Caravan Rolls On gets a run in the 3,200m Melbourne Cup, Williams added: "The way the race is shaping up he runs two miles, he's in great form, this is a great lead-up race."

Trainer Danny O'Brien said: "He's a genuine two miler; we had to keep him very fresh today for the 2,400m - he was third-up, three and a half weeks between runs so we had to keep the spring in his legs to be able to win at the mile and a half. He'll improve three or four lengths off what he showed today.

"We are very fortunate to have him; we've had him the better part of a year now as part of a long plan to hopefully get him to the Melbourne Cup. Today was a big part of it and fortunately he got the job done."

Caravan Rolls On was bred by Kirsten Rausing and began his racing career in Newmarket with Peter Chapple-Hyam. He won four times for former owner Paul Hancock before being bought privately by Sheikh Fahad, who initially ran him under the Pearl Bloodstock banner.

Further improvement was to follow, and Caravan Rolls On, who won at the first time of asking for his new owner and was fourth in the following year's Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap at Royal Ascot, had attained a rating of 99 before shipping to Australia to join O'Brien.

Photograph by Laurence Squire