DID we see a potential Melbourne Cup runner at Canterbury on Wednesday?

Chris Waller import High Bridge made a lovely Australian debut by taking out a Benchmark 70 Handicap (1900m) on Wednesday and he’s got the pedigree to win on the first Tuesday in November.

His father, Monsun, sired Melbourne Cup runners Max Dynamite (2nd in 2015), Qewy (fourth in 2016) and Thomas Hobson (sixth in 2017).

His record as a hurdler in Europe was very good before he arrived on Australian shores.

“John Ferguson identified him as a potential cups horse and while we won’t get carried away after today’s win, that’s the plan whether it’s a November cup or a Sydney Cup,” Waller said.

“He’s a horse that I’d expect to go from strength to strength and the further he goes the better he’ll get. We’ll gradually step him up in trip and see how far we get this preparation.”

High Bridge had won six of 13 races in Great Britain and on Wednesday was the first time he’d started out of barriers but he won easily in the end, defeating Scratches by 1¼ lengths.

“When he got here we worked out he hadn’t been in the barriers before, so that has been challenging and hence you saw he wasn’t the best to begin today,” Waller said.

“I don’t know how far we’ll get this preparation but that was a good way to start.”

Waller said High Bridge will be nominated for the Melbourne Cup when noms close at 12pm on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Wagner secured a well-deserved win with Hugh Bowman on board when defeating Nicco Lad and Vendome at Canterbury Park.

The Bernardini colt put a nice gap in his rivals but trainer James Cummings wants to see him do it again before he takes on the better spring three-year-olds.

“The horse had a little bit of a sticky gate and Hugh knew my preference to have him in a stalking position just off them and it took a bit of imagination for him to get there,” Cummings said.

“He had the horse in a great rhythm and I think he’s really stamped himself like a horse to follow and I think we’ve got a colt with real promise. I’ve got him nominated in some very strong races but we’ve only just knocked off a maiden handicap.

“He was the top weight though and put a good margin on them but we’ll let the horse get there first. I’d like to see him run another strong race before he gets thrown into the deep end.”

Golden Rose hope Sandbar had a 1000m track gallop between races at Canterbury on Wednesday and he pleased trainer Brad Widdup. The Rosebud winner ran 1:03.00 for the 1000m and came home in 35.20 second for his final 600m and he’ll go on to the Group 2 Run to the Rose (1200m) next weekend at Rosehill.

“That was just what we wanted,” Widdup said.

“He keeps himself pretty fit and he’s a straightforward horse. He’s had a nice little hit-out and he seems to respond to this type of working.

“It’s (Golden Rose) going to be tough to win and the Run to the Rose will sort out the contenders and hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves.

“I’m looking to see if he can run the 1400m, which I think he will.”