Recap of VRC Members Race Day

Maher mare a Duchess at Flemington 

Duchess Zou has continued her successful first campaign with a come from behind victory in the ATA Trust/TAB We’re On (1400m). 

Trainer Ciaron Maher, who also owns the filly, admitted to concern as the field swung for home, but a strong breeze helped the filly overhaul the leaders. 

“She had an economical run, and I thought at the top of the straight she might have breezed into it a bit easier, but she finished it off very well and it ended up being quite soft on the line,” Maher said. 

“She’s very progressive and I’m sure with a freshen up, or break, she’ll improve again.” 

Duchess Zoe has won three of her first five starts and Maher said she was now a valuable commodity having also been Stakes placed. 

“She’s by Zoustar and I trained the mother Miss Wonderland who was Stakes placed,” Maher said. 

“She couldn’t have had a better first prep. We had to wait for her early. She had a few little niggles early on, but that has been the making of her also. 

“That time gave her the chance to furnish and she’s a lovely mare.” 

Shining Smile up for the fight 

The Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained Shining Smile registered his fifth win of his two-year-old season with a first-up win in the VRC Member Sarah Hart Trophy (1000m). 

The colt also provided the Lindsay Park stable with their 29th two-year-old winner for the season. 

“He’s arguably the best performed two-year-old for the whole year, albeit not in the best races,” Ben Hayes said. 

“He’s won three Stakes races, and he’s got an exciting future ahead of him and this will tick him off beautifully to head to those early three-year-old races like the Vain Stakes at Caulfield.” 

Hayes said longer term the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day is the ultimate target for the colt. 

He said the Poiseidon Stakes and the Danehill Stakes, both run down the straight at Flemington, would be considered as ideal lead ups for the Coolmore Stud Stakes. 

“He raced a bit fresh early and raced a bit upside down, but he loves a fight and we’re really looking forward to seeing what he’s got,” Hayes said. 

“He’s got a pretty good record down the straight, but he’ll have his races spaced nicely and we’ll try and get him to the Coolmore.” 

Le Fracas shows his versatility 

While the track at Flemington remained in the Soft range for the majority of Saturday’s program, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained La Fracas showed his versatility with his win in the VRC Member Colin Gilson Sprint (1200m). 

Price had labelled La Fracas one of the best wet trackers he has prepared for a number of years with his two wins to start his current campaign at Mornington and Sandown being on heavy ground. 

Saturday’s track was upgraded to Good after the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849, a race after La Fracas’ victory, and Kent Jnr said it was nice to see the gelding show some versatility. 

“He’s still developing and is a northern hemisphere bred four-year-old that is six months behind,” Kent Jnr said. 

“He’s come back a lot better this prep and we’ve worked him out. 

“He’s very progressive.” 

Kent Jnr said there would be no hesitation returning La Fracas to a softer track for a better class race in the weeks ahead if the right race presented. 

And he wouldn’t be concerned about having to travel to Sydney in search of wet ground. 

“If we could find a nice race on a heavy track, we would take the opportunity,” Kent Jnr said. 

“That’s the bonus of having our Sydney stable. We can have these wet-trackers dual nominated in both states and go where it’s wet. 

“But that was a stylish win on a good track, basically.” 

Arcora lands Derby berth 

Victory in the Byerley Handicap (1800m) has secured the Trent Busutiin and Natalie Young-trained Arcora a start in the Victoria Derby (2500m) on November 1. 

The victory was Arcora’s first from five starts but it showed the son of Justify has staying potential. 

Busuttin and Young’s racing manager Sam Griggs said the Derby was spoken about soon after Arcora ran second over 1420m at Flemington on June 21. 

“Off his first-up run over 1400 metres, I said to Trent and Natalie that there is our Derby horse,” Griggs said. 

“He’s got so much improvement ahead of him. He’s got the job done today. It’s nice to tick the box and it will do him the world of good to get his head down in front. 

“He’s been going close and got the killer blow today.” 

Hammond lands breakthrough Flemington win 

Apprentice Rose Hammond has landed her first Flemington win taking out the RMBL Investments Rising Stars Final. 

The race was for apprentice riders only and Hammond secured the ride on the Luke Oliver-trained Lake Vostok due to her ability to ride the mare at 50kg. 

It proved decisive as Lake Vostok sat back in the field before unwinding a strong finishing burst. 

“I’ve been looking forward to this ride all week,” Hammond said. 

“I went through her replays and found when she was rushed early, she was a bit one-paced late and with Luke’s instructions I was happy to jump, let her relax and be happy and let her hit the line. 

“It’s really exciting to have something like this for all the apprentices around. 

“I wasn’t in the running with the rankings this year, but my goal was to win this race. I was lucky enough to get this ride and hopefully I can keep the momentum going.” 

Trip south pays off for Mormona 

Jamie Melham was taken with the staying prowess of French import Mormona which took out the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m). 

The win was first in Australia from 11 starts for Mormona who is prepared in Sydney by Annabel and Rob Archibald and was sent to Melbourne because of a lack of staying races in Sydney. 

Melham, who was riding the gelding for the first time, said Mormona would be suited over a longer trip, and she was amazed with the stayer’s lung capacity. 

“I was telling the owners this horse wants further,” Melham said. 

“He’s got a very big lung capacity because he did not blow at all afterwards. I was blowing harder than him after race. 

“He’s a very fit, a very clean horse and was too good for them.”