Turnbull Stakes (Group 1)

GOLD Trip returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since his 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup win in the fashion of a 7/4 favourite not the 20/1 that was pinned to his back.

In electrifying style, the Outstrip seven-year-old horse threw shade on his 15 rivals, winning the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes by two lengths.

Last on the bend, Mark Zahra angled wide for clear air. Into gear, he was motoring by the 300 metre mark before blasting to the front with 200 metres left as none could match his acceleration.

Home comfortably, the only contest was for the placings as the Teofilo gelding West Wind Blows, given every chance by Jamie Spencer, held second ahead of the Frankel gelding Soulcombe.

Fourth was the Irish-bred race favourite from Hong Kong Romantic Warrior, his jockey James McDonald claiming his fitness would improve after his first run since May.

“It’s probably his best win, if you can say that from a Melbourne Cup winner, but he was dynamic today and very impressive.” said co-trainer Ciaron Maher.

Tingling

“Unbelievable,” was the simple summation from Mark Zahra. “I’m tingling. I can’t believe he won like that. What a win. He’s such a raceday horse. He goes down the straight and he looks at the crowd.

“He’s an absolute ripper. I had him switched off and I’ve always said that he’s a horse that I don’t like to cuddle him. When I go, I like to give it to him. He is a stallion, and he does think about it but when I give it to him, it is like, I hit the front at the 200 (metre mark) and he’s going to absolutely bolt in.”

Same formula

Having followed the path of the Turnbull, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup last year, connections are contemplating the same formula.

“The weather will play a part, if it was very hot and dry leading into Caulfield that would have some bearing, although we don’t feel he’s just a soft-ground horse,” said David Eustace the day after.

“Without it being set in stone, I think the Caulfield Cup would still be the plan at this stage.”

Gold Trip ran second in the Caulfield Cup last year to the Chris Waller-trained Durston who had a 6kg advantage over the top-weight who was a three-length ninth in the Cox Plate two weeks later.

CIARON Maher and David Eustace added a fifth starter to their Melbourne Cup squad at Flemington on Saturday when Future History claimed a ballot-free entry after winning the Group 3 Bart Cummings over 2,520 metres.

The British-bred Showcasing six-year-old will go into the race having escaped a penalty from the Chief Handicapper David Hegan.

“Having considered the final margins and performance ratings of all runners on Saturday, any penalty for Future History would be excessive in terms of relativity to Serpentine and also to Ashrun, who finished close-up in sixth, if they met in the Melbourne Cup,” said Hegan.

“Future History remains on 50kgs and will need to go to another level on the first Tuesday in November if he’s to join Almandin (2016) in completing The Bart Cummings-Melbourne Cup double.”

Delighting

Ridden by Craig Williams, Future History led all the way defeating the Churchill gelding, and race favourite First Immortal by a length as the Irish-bred Galileo gelding Serpentine took third, the win delighting co-trainer David Eustace who had been confident heading into the race.

“He’ll probably go straight in (to the Melbourne Cup). He’s been in work a long time, this horse,” highlighted Eustace.

“A couple of people to thank. Nick Bell (in the UK), a very good friend of mine and son of Michael Bell, who put the owner Peter Trainor into the stable. He’s in London and he’s Irish and I spoke to him this morning and he said that he hadn’t slept for two days.

“I should think he won’t sleep for a week now. He’s a fierce racing fan racing in the UK and has branched out sending these horses to us.”

SOLD for A$3.4 million as a racing and breeding prospect from this Inglis Chairman’s Sale, Montefilia has made an instant return for her new owners, Yu Long Investments, taking out Saturday’s $2 million Hill Stakes over 1,900 metres, returning $1.1 million to her connections.

Bizarrely, the 1,900 metre Group 2 Hill Stakes, dwarfed the traditional Flemington feature and Melbourne Cup lead-up, the 2,000 metre Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, worth less than half that of the Hill Stakes at $750,000.

No longer an aberration, the best horses are being split as competing state interests diffuse the once clear boundaries of race carnivals.

Winning by a half-length, the dual Group 1-winning Kermadec mare from the Chris Waller stable, defeated the Waterhouse and Bott import Hoo Ya Mal, the Territories gelding’s best return in four Australian starts.

Third went to former William Haggis-trained Wootton Bassett gelding Protagonist, who is now in the care of Kris Lees for Australian Bloodstock, also the managing owners of Gold Trip.

“She’s on a Melbourne Cup path but we’ll let Chris decide how she gets there, whether that’s via a Cox Plate or a Caulfield Cup or whatever,” said Yulong’s Sam Fairgray. “She cost a lot of money at the Chairman’s Sale but it’s just great to be able to access mares of her quality at the Chairman’s Sale and that’s exactly what that sale is all about.”

THE former Brian Meehan-trained Cepheus, by Sea The Stars, struck gold in the Alan Brown Stakes over 1,400 metres at Rosehill last Saturday.

Devoid of blacktype, the Quality Handicap was worth A$1.5 million with Cepheus becoming an instant millionaire having arrived in Australia in 2021 for his owners, OTI Racing. Prepared now by Matthew Dunn, Cepheus has Melbourne Cup day circled on his calendar, though at Randwick not Flemington.

“That’s been his goal right through, and the fact that he’s been able to pick these couple of races up along the way with huge amounts of prize money is fantastic for me and the owners,” said Dunn. “We’re certainly looking forward to the ($3 million) Big Dance (1,600 metres).”

A narrow winner, Cepheus defeated the Tavistock gelding Cotehele, ridden by Tom Sherry, with the Flying Artie gelding Flying Crazy third.

ABSURDE and Vauban have arrived safely at Werribee as they prepare for the Melbourne Cup. “Both have settled in well and got into a nice routine here in Werribee,” said travelling foreman David Casey.

“We haven’t done anything fast with them yet. Still working on building up their fitness. Obviously Absurde ran a little bit later than Vauban did, so he’s probably closer to it. We have a bit to work on on Vauban, but that was kind of the plan coming here.”

Zac Purton has been booked to ride the Ebor winner Absurde while Ryan Moore will partner Vauban.

Everest millions

AUSTRALIA’S wealthiest race the A$20 million Everest will be held at Randwick today, with the 1,200 metre juggernaut comprising 12 starters with four emergencies. The pre-post favourite is the five-year-old So You Think gelding Think About It who will be aiming for eight-in-a-row is out of the Joseph Pride stable. British Group 1 winner Alcohol Free who changed hands last season represents trainer Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott and Yu Long Investments. Fifty minutes later in Melbourne, the $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas will be run with the Golden Rose winner, Militarize, a short-priced favourite. The Dundeel colt will be ridden by Joao Moreira for Chris Waller.