C'est La Guerre

HeraldSun.com.au


C'est La Guerre reacquainted himself with the winner's stall for the first time in more than two years at Randwick on Saturday to put himself back in contention for the 150th Melbourne Cup.

Winning his first race since claiming the 2008 New Zealand Derby, C'est La Guerre upset the favourites Purple and Triple Honour in the Group Three $125,000 Craven Plate (2000m).

It was a breakthrough victory for prominent owner Lloyd Williams and the syndicate which races the six-year-old, a placegetter in the 2008 Melbourne Cup.

"That's the horse's first win for Dad since he bought him after the New Zealand Derby ... he's been frustrating to say the least," Williams's son Nick said.

Williams Snr has spared no expense in trying to win this year's milestone Melbourne Cup, importing a string of overseas stayers to boost his team.

And while C'est La Guerre might have slipped from favour as a genuine Cup aspirant with 10 unplaced runs since his placing two years ago, he is now firmly on the radar for next month's anniversary edition.

"He's in the ball-game now (for the Melbourne Cup), no question," Nick Williams said.

"But there's still a month to go and in this game one day you might have the favourite and the next day you might have nothing."

Ridden by Michael Rodd, C'est La Guerre ($8) came from the second half of the field in the weight-for-age contest to overhaul Purple and Triple Honour to win by 1-1/2 lengths.

Purple ($2.90) was a nose in front of Triple Honour ($2.70 fav) to finish second.

Rodd, who won the 2007 Melbourne Cup for Williams on Efficient, said it was obvious C'est La Guerre was in unfamiliar territory as he set sail for the finishing post.

"When he got to the front he wasn't quite sure what to do," Rodd said.

"Hopefully this will mentally switch him on a bit because we know he is a horse with a lot of ability."

C'est La Guerre is now an $18 chance to improve on his Melbourne Cup third placing to Viewed.