Technician fuels Gold Cup dreams for Meade after Royal-Oak victory

This tends to be the time of year when the Gold Cups that occupy punters' minds are those contested at Leopardstown and Cheltenham but, for Martyn Meade and owners Team Valor, it will be Ascot's supreme test next summer which fills their dreams for Technician.

The three-year-old son of Mastercraftsman has improved all season and took the step up to Group 1 class against seasoned older rivals in his stride, holding the challenge of Call The Wind to score cosily under man of the moment Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Technician – a third three-year-old winner of this race in five seasons – received a 20-1 quote from Paddy Power for the Gold Cup and, if Meade does opt to to go down that road, he could do worse than consider the Prix Vicomtesse-Vigier in May as a prep given the colt is now three from three at Longchamp.

When questioned on his Gold Cup credentials, Meade's son and assistant Freddie said: "He's a lovely stayer. We'll find out as we go along what he can do but he's done enough as a three-year-old and he'll have a well-deserved rest.

"We'll make a plan through the winter and dream about what we can do from there."

Call The Wind continued a frustrating sequence of close calls for trainer Freddy Head and owner George Strawbridge.

Call The Wind could be on his travels again to Dubai next MarchCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Second again!" said Head, who had sent out Call The Wind to be bridesmaid in the Prix Kergorlay and the Prix du Cadran on his last two starts. "He'll stay in training and we'll see about maybe going back to Dubai with him."

Last year's winner Holdthasigreen was third, while the John Gosden-trained Lah Ti Dar came home fourth after that pair had taken turns to cut out the running.

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