Hayes checks out German bred Budai for the Cup

THE Melbourne Cup has been rated the best staying race in the world for the past two years, so the trends established by the great race in that time are the benchmark for distance racing. In short, European form, especially that emanating from France and Germany, is king, reports The Age. It says: Two French-trained horses have won the past two Melbourne Cups - Americain and Dunaden - and last year's third-placed horse was the German stayer Lucas Cranach, so it is no surprise that thoroughbred o

THE Melbourne Cup has been rated the best staying race in the world for the past two years, so the trends established by the great race in that time are the benchmark for distance racing. In short, European form, especially that emanating from France and Germany, is king, reports The Age.

It says: Two French-trained horses have won the past two Melbourne Cups - Americain and Dunaden - and last year's third-placed horse was the German stayer Lucas Cranach, so it is no surprise that thoroughbred owners throughout the world are targeting these areas in Europe in the search for the next elite stayer.

Trainer David Hayes need not look too far to find horses with that form mix. In his Euroa stable is one of the best stayers in the world, US-bred Americain, which Hayes is preparing for a first-up tilt at the Australian Cup next month, as well as another horse few know much about. The six-year-old German-bred gelding Budai has his second run for Hayes tomorrow at Caulfield after a false start to his career here when first produced early in the spring. Hayes said the recent results of the Melbourne Cup strengthened his belief that Budai could make an impact in staying races in Melbourne and Sydney this autumn.

''He's got that very trendy form with strong performances in Germany and in France and we've seen how well that form has worked out here in Australia through the Melbourne Cup over the past couple of years,'' Hayes said yesterday.

At the forefront of the European charge up the international ratings is Americain, which followed his 2010 win with a luckless fourth as topweight last spring. It was considered good enough for him to be ranked the leading stayer in the world by one ratings system. Hayes, who has had the horse since the spring in what will be the entire's final season of racing, said Americain was extraordinary.