NZ bred Descarado added his candidacy for the Cox Plate after returning to form in the G1 Caulfield Stakes on Saturday.

Descarado (5g High Chaparral – Karamea Lady by Lord Ballina) won the 2010 Caulfield Cup but his latest spring campaign was delayed due to a setback in training.  “He’s been carrying more condition than ever,” Gai Waterhouse admitted.  “But I knew he would come right from the way he was training.”

Bookmakers elevated Descarado to $15 for the Cox Plate behind Jimmy Choux (Thorn Park) who is the $4.40 pre-post favourite.

Bred by Wayne McQuoid, Descarado was nominated for the 2008 NZ Bloodstock Karaka yearling sale but was withdrawn due to a stifle injury.  He convalesced at Windsor Park Stud and was placed with trainer Kevin Myers who prepped him to two wins prior to his sale to Australia.

Gai’s husband Robbie bought Descarado on a trip to New Zealand with bloodstock agent Phil Cataldo.  He won the G2 STC Hill Stakes at Rosehill and was runner-up in the G1 AJC Australian Derby at Randwick before last year’s Caulfield Cup.

His dam Karamea Lady foaled 10 winners before her death in 2007.  Besides Descarado, the best of them has been G3 Grafton Cup winner Simigan (Honour Grades).