Exford Plate (Listed) 1400m
The Listed Exford Plate (1700m) has produced some top-shelf winners before - horses like Brutal, Long John, (Lord) Tavistock and Hit The Roof come to mind - but few have been as visually impressive as the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Berkeley Square.
While the margin of a head over runner-up Fast Witness and a neck over third-placed Tijuana may not sound like much, it was the manner in which he burst through under Craig Williams that was most eye-catching.
Upon straightening, Berkeley Square was back near last and travelling powerfully but could not find a way clear. Right through to the clock tower, Williams was sitting patiently just waiting for the gap to open and, when it did come, he sprinted sharply to land the spoils.
“It’s a bit hard to keep a lid on it now, isn’t it? He’s a pretty smart horse I think," O'Sullivan said. "He’s only had four starts, he was down the outside the first two times then led up, so he’s pretty versatile which is pretty pleasing."
While the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) looms as his first target, the $2 million Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m) also shapes as a likely goal should he continue to progress.
Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes (Listed, 1100m)
The opening race on Sofitel Girls’ Day Out, the Listed Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes (1100m), has set up one of the rivalries of the spring after the Matthew Smith-trained Buenos Noches was promoted to first at the expense of James Cummings’ Spacewalk
Spacewalk was first past the post under Blake Shinn but Craig Newitt, who rode the fast-finishing Buenos Noches, quickly lodged a protest after interference over the concluding stages. Stewards upheld the objection, giving four-time Flemington winner Supido his first ever stakes winner as a stallion.
"He's a good horse, simple as that,” Newitt said. "For a horse that's very lightly-raced, he's a pretty good colt. He'll go to the Danehill in a couple of weeks and I think you'll find he'll take a power of beating and I presume then onto the Coolmore.”
The pair are likely to clash again in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) before heading to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
CAP D’ANTIBES STAKES (Listed, 1100m)
Nanagui led home a $23,000 trifecta when she bloused a strong group of three-year-old fillies to take the Listed Cap d’Antibes Stakes (1100m) under Luke Nolen.
Second in the Group 3 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) down the straight in March, the Peter Moody-trained Nanagui sprinted home from near the rear to score by three-quarters of a length over Pakenham maiden winners C’est Magique and Typhoon Titmus.
“She’s done nothing wrong her whole career this filly, she was unlucky not to pick a stakes race up as a two-year-old, but she’s done a massive job,” Moody’s assistant Katherine Coleman said. “She’s only a lightly framed filly, so to get this win today is a great result for Rosemont Stud and the team. She’s such a tough little filly, she had to push her way out there, but it doesn’t faze her, in fact, she really seems to relish a bit of a fight, so it definitely opens up for some nice races and a bit of fun later in the spring.”
Like Buenos Noches and Spacewalk, she is likely to target the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on October 29.
The Sally Chirnside (2500m)
A first victory in two years for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained High Emocean has her poised to chase a start in the $8 million Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) through the Group 3 Lexus Bart Cummings (2500m) after she took out The Sally Chirnside (2500m) over the same course.
Named for the late Mrs Sally Chirnside, who was the first woman elected to the board of a Principal Racing Authority in Australia when she joined the Victoria Racing Board (VRC) in 1991, a full field of stayers was seeking to lay a marker for next month’s Lexus Bart Cummings, which offers one of three Golden Tickets for the Lexus Melbourne Cup.
High Emocean put her claim forward with a two-length win over Mohican Heights with 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare a very good third with 61kg, suggesting he could potentially seek to become the first horse ever to win two Cups three years apart.
“She’ll head now to the Bart Cummings; she’s earned her chance to try and get the Golden Ticket,” Maher said of High Emocean. “She’s tricky to get right, because she needs her runs spaced and she needs to be fresh and well. I think the team has done a great job with her at Ballarat getting her right.
“She’s been a little bit frustrating for the owners, but she’s obviously coming right at the right time of year.”
Maher and Eustace have won the Lexus Bart Cummings the last two years with Grand Promenade and Persan, with the pair finishing sixth and fifth respectively in the race that stops a nation™.
Australian Childhood Foundation Plate (1700m)
English import Makram demonstrated again his affinity for the Flemington 1700m, scoring his second course and distance win at just his fourth Australian start.
Trained by Ben and JD Hayes, Makram was the first leg of a race-to-race double for Luke Nolen, relishing his light impost to score by a half length over fellow lightweight Hezashocka.
Great House, who won a Lexus Melbourne Cup Golden Ticket in last year’s Group 3 Lexus Hotham Stakes (2500m), impressed under 60.5kg to charge from last into third and will likely head to the Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes (2000m) next, as will fourth Young Werther - runner-up in the Turnbull last year.
"We always thought he could be a horse that could get to a Caulfield Cup, so he obviously needs to win a couple more and continue, but he's going to have his chance now to head in that direction,” Ben Hayes said. "If we don't get there, there are lots of races through the spring."
Makram holds an entry for the Lexus Melbourne Cup as well.
Main image: Mick Price with I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) after winning the PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)
