TAB Empire Rose Stakes (Group 1)

CO Wexford-born Declan Bates has come a long way since he first rode in Australia when representing Ireland in the 2012 Irish-Australian jumps series.

“My mantra has been to work hard and it’s paying dividends. I’m loving it,” said Bates when he landed his first ride in Melbourne in 2016.

“Fast forward to Flemington on Saturday and Bates executed the equivalent of a daylight robbery in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes for fillies and mares over 1,600 metres.

Riding the $16 chance Pride Of Jenni for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Bates let Pride Of Jenni slide, taking up the running to be out by three lengths in the 16-horse field, and then extending that to seven lengths approaching the final bend to Deny Knowledge, who was a further eight lengths in front of the chasing peloton.

Ridden right out by Bates, the Pride Of Dubai mare won by a length from the fast finishing race favourite Atishu, by Savabeel, as the Tavistock mare Life Lessons took third ahead of Deny Knowledge who finished just ahead of the 5.4 million guineas purchase Alcohol Free whose best effort remains a Group 2 fourth from four Australian starts.

The plan

“It’s her style and that was the plan and I just wanted to execute it,” said a delighted Bates after his second Group 1 win.

“She likes to go quick and you’ve got to let her do her thing. I actually try not to count because I think if I count, I’ll think I am going too fast.

“So, I don’t count, just keep her happy, let her do her thing. I know if I count, I know I’ll try to go too steady, so it’s a matter of trusting her.

“I knew there was a bit of gap, but I could sense something coming late. There were a few nervous moments.”

Penfolds Victoria Derby (Group 1)

FOR the second week in a row the impeccable timing of James McDonald has denied the Hayes brothers a Group 1 win.

Riding Riff Rocket for Chris Waller in the 2,500 metre Group 1 Victoria Derby, McDonald came down the middle of the track as Apulia, who had tracked him in the run, switched to the inside as the pair chased Johnny Allen on Sunsets.

Boiling down to a contest between the top two in the market, the American Pharoah gelding Riff Rocket looked the winner until the Fiorente colt Apulia closed late to force a photo-finish.

“I’ve been blessed with a couple of really close photos and this is another one that I thought I was done like a dinner on the line, the poor Hayes boys will be hating on me,” said McDonald later as the margin went his way by a whisker as the Ben, JD and Will Hayes-trained Apulia was second with third going to the Dundeel colt Sunsets.

Foaled down and raised at Coolmore for Winx’s part-owner Debbie Kepitis, the daughter of the late Bob Ingham, who along with his brother Jack created Woodlands Stud which was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed in 2008, Riff Rockett has now won four from seven and A$1.56 million in stakes.

“It is called Derby Day and this is the Group 1 you want to be winning on the day and we’ve been fortunate to go back-to-back,” said Chris Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth.

“It was really heart in your mouth kind of watching and then obviously watching the slo-mo I still thought we’d got beaten.”

Coolmore Stud Stakes (Group 1)

NEW Zealand-born Bjorn Baker’s strongest memories of Derby Day at Flemington are alongside his father Murray and their 2010 Victoria Derby winner Lion Tamer. Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes result may change that.

Saddling up Ozzmosis for the 1,200 metre Group 1 for three-year-olds, the Zoustar colt was sent out at a generous $18 despite having lost just once in four starts. English-born Rachel King took the ride and produced a stunner.

Angling to the middle of track King had the confidence to rate her colt from the front. Held together, she let the brakes off with 300 metres to run and Ozzmosis found strongly.

Charging to the line, the pair won by a length and a quarter in a fashion that must have Royal Ascot in the frame next June. Second was the I Am Invincible colt I Am Unstoppable ahead of Coolmore’s Golden Slipper winner, the Snitzel colt Shinzo.

Second look

“I couldn’t believe how well he just travelled, I had to take a second look when I was at the 300 and I was still travelling, today’s the first day I’ve ridden him where I haven’t had to put pressure on him early because up the straight just made it easier for him,” said King. “I’ve never ridden a horse who’s been so professional.”

It’s not clear if Bjorn Baker is an Ozzy Osbourne fan (Ozzmosis is the title of Osbourne’s seventh studio album) but he clearly loves the country he set himself up in 2011 when he started with two horses at Warwick Farm.

“I’ve had a very lucky career in the lucky country, this is career-changing for me,” said Baker.

“He’s a Zoustar colt, he is a superstar. Zoustar won this race. I was here 12 years ago as co-trainer of Lion Tamer with my father (Murray) and that is one reason I came to Australia. It is the lucky country and the greatest racing in the world.”

RIDING in his last Melbourne Cup Carnival before retiring, it was fitting to see Damien Oliver salute the judge on Derby Day.

Riding the Irish-bred Kalapour for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees the pair took out the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes over 2,500 metres, the victory extending Oliver’s Melbourne Cup Carnival record to 86 wins.

“This horse has been running really consistently all season and it is great that he can win a nice race today,” said Oliver, who has enabled the horse to bypass the ballot for the Melbourne Cup winning an automatic start, one of four who will carry 50 kilograms into the race.

“I’m rapt to have a winner with Damien in what will be his last spring carnival. It certainly means a lot to me,” added Lees.

Rosehill

THE Japanese-trained Obamburumai was up for the fight at Rosehill in the A$10 million Golden Eagle, Australia’s most valuable race over the weekend, worth $1.4 million more than the Melbourne Cup, but without the storied history or prestige that’s on offer at Flemington.

Trained by Keiji Yoshimura and ridden by Josh Parr, who was filling in for an injured Yutaka Take, the Discreet Cat colt was four lengths in arrears on the rails with 200 metres to run as Godolphin runners looked to have the quinella in the bag.

Irrepressible right to the line, Obamburumai found a way, running down the James Cummings-trained pair to land the win by a neck as the Street Boss gelding Pericles took second ahead of the Astern colt Golden Mile.

This was the fifth edition of the 1,500m race for four-year-olds, the fourth richest race in the world, with Obamburumai, the race’s first international winner.

“We really focused on getting the horse ready for this race today,” said Keiji Yoshimura via an interpreter.

Screamed so loud

“All the people that were before me came and made a successful racing industry in Japan. I have never screamed so loud after a race in my life.

“It was a perfect ride by Josh. He took some time before the race to go over the tactics and he just played it out perfectly. Really, this is a result of everyone that was involved, even when we were back in Japan before flying here.

“ Everyone at Canterbury, all the staff, the Australian Turf Club, were so kind. The horse got acclimatised to the environment so quickly and I couldn’t thank everybody enough for the victory today.”

Bella Nips them in Giga Kick

ROSEHILL’S second feature on Saturday was the A$3 million Giga Kick Stakes over 1,300 metres with the Pride Of Dubai mare Bella Nipotina claiming the win for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Craig Williams took the ride and won in a thriller. Held up at a crucial time, Bella Nipotina only saw clear air with 50 metres to run.

With an electric sprint, she ran down the Joe Pride stablemates, defeating the Al Maher gelding Private Eye by the barest of margins with the So You Think Everest winner Think About It in third.

“It feels like a Group 1 because she toppled The Everest winner and some smart horses behind her,” said co-trainer David Eustace.