Howden Victoria Derby Day race day review

Observer dominant in Victoria Derby

Observer played a key role in an unforgettable first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival for Godolphin, Ciaron Maher and Mark Zahra with a dominant win in Saturday’s $2 million Victoria Derby.

The son of Ghaiyyath gave Godolphin the two three-year-old Group 1 features when he backed up the Coolmore Stud Stakes success of the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Street Boss colt Tentyris.

It was the fourth win in a row for Zahra, who was also aboard Tentyris, Group 2 Wakeful Stakes winner Getta Good Feeling and the Maher-trained Warnie in the Group 2 The Damien Oliver.

“I think the sky's the limit for this colt, he's just so adaptable,” Maher said.

“He was unlucky in a Guineas, he’s won a Vase and now he’s won a Derby and he’s pretty similar to his old man.

Tentyris lifts Freedmans with Coolmore win

The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable had been enduring a tough spring campaign, but the victory of Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes has given the team something to celebrate. 

And a start against the older horses in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) next Saturday is on the cards for the three-year-old. 

Now based in Sydney, Anthony Freedman made the trip down for the Victoria Derby Day at Flemington as support for his Sam, more than anything else. 

Freedman senior said his son had been feeling the effects of a tough spring, but as he had done over decades as the right-hand man for his brother Lee and now in his latest training venture, he told Sam to trust the processes. 

Those processes worked as Tentyris showed a devastating turn of foot to claim the Group 1 contest for three-year-olds that has proven to be a stallion making race in the past. 

"I came today, really only to support Sam," Freedman senior said. 

"He's been here all spring and we really haven't had, what you would call, a great spring. 

"It hasn't been straight forward, and he has struggled with that a little bit and I said 'hang in there' as when you've got the right horse, it will do the job and this was the horse we had so much faith in and he prepared him perfectly. 

"I just wanted to be here and sit in the background and say well done." 

Jenni the Pride of Flemington

Pride of Jenni wound back the clock two years when she ran her rivals ragged to win the Empire Rose Stakes. 

Success in the 2023 version of the Group 1 race for mares paved the way for Pride Of Jenni to a further two wins at the highest level along with the All-Star Mile leading to the mare being crowned Australia's Champion Racehorse of the Year in 2023-24. 

Pride Of Jenni was back at the Melbourne Cup Carnival 12 months later but was not in the same form with talk of retirement. 

But it was the old Pride Of Jenni in the 1600m contest on Saturday where the mare stretched the field out leading by a conservative 10 lengths mid-race. 

Bates became emotional about getting back aboard Pride Of Jenni after losing the ride. 

"She was retired, I was sacked, and that was all good, everyone was OK, but to be standing here, winning another Group 1 is making me emotional," Bates said. 

Bates was unsure which Pride Of Jenni was going to turn up on Saturday as the mare was so relaxed cantering around to the barriers. 

"After 100 metres in the race I knew we were winning," Bates said. 

Waller does it again in Carbine Club 

Death, taxes and Chris Waller winning the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes with a filly out of the Reginald Allen Stakes. 

It’s been a theme of Victoria Derby Day in recent years and rang true again at Flemington on Saturday, when Panova powered home for an impressive win in the 1600m event. 

Panova’s win came 12 months after Aeliana announced herself a star in the same event, while Fangirl did likewise in 2021. 

Like those two elite-level now-mares, Panova headed into the Carbine Club off a win in the Group 3 Reginald Allen Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on October 18 and Waller’s assistant trainer Chalie Duckworth is also excited about the future for the daughter of Trapeze Artist. 

“Chris has got an excellent record in the race so continuing on from the great horses that have won it,” he said. 

“Being by Trapeze Artist, she might be a bit sharper, but Ricky (Surace, owner) is adamant that he's done the genome testing and it all points towards being a stayer. 

“The fact that she can do it over 14 (hundred metres) and a mile is only really a bonus to her.” 

Along with his star fillies, Waller has also won the Carbine Club Stakes with Kermadec and Comin’ Thru and now sits alongside legend Bart Cummings – whose five winners included Think Big and Saintly – as the most successful trainer in the 52-year history of the race.  

North Queensland galloper shines 

The Pakenham stable of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman were expecting to be bit players through the Melbourne spring. 

But it is never wise to discount the stable. 

They collected the Group 1 Thousand Guineas with at Ole Dancer at Caulfield a fortnight ago and added to their toll with former North Queensland filly Sheza Alibi who took out the Group 3 The Vanity (1400m). 

Sheza Alibi started her career in Rockhampton and Townsville before making her way down to Brisbane where she chased home Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy. 

Shortly after, Sheza Alibi was sent south to join the Moody and Coleman stable and ran a pleasing third to Tentyris at Caulfield at her first start in Melbourne. 

“She's gone through Townsville and Rockhampton and places like that, and to see her come here and perform on Derby Day on the biggest stage, congratulations to all involved,” Moody said. 

“We've had her down here for a good few months now, and she's done nothing but please us, so it was a well-deserved victory today. 

“We thought we were coming in with a lean carnival, but we were fortunate enough to win the Guineas a few weeks back and now we’ve got a nice filly like this. 

“She’ll probably go to Caulfield in a couple of weeks and take the boys on again and off the back of that, you’d think she will be very competitive again. 

“We’re a bit light in numbers but hopefully they’re in the right slots.”  

Berry and Baker combine 

Jockey Tommy Berry made the right call in coming to Melbourne to register an early double on Victoria Derby Day. 

After Panova scored in the opening race, Berry was back in the winner's enclosure two races later aboard Caballus in the Rising Fast Stakes (1200m). 

Both winners were prepared by Sydney stables with Chris Waller training Panova while Caballus is in the care of Bjorn Baker. 

Berry said he has a good record when, on the rare occasion, he rides for Baker. 

“We don't team up very often, but when we do, it's usually victorious,” Berry said. 

“I was glad I got to ride him last start (in Sydney) as I had to use him a fair way out because we went back from a bad alley and his run peaked from about the 150 (metre mark). 

“I knew (today) I had a good 300 metres in me, but I was mindful of not to go too early. 

“He got a little bit lost at the furlong going past the mounting yard, but when I pulled the stick into the right, he went into another gear and was too strong.”  

Warnie bowls up a Bennett quinella 

Bennett Racing had two of the leading fancies in the Group 2 David Oliver and the prominent racing syndicate provided a one-two result. 

It wasn’t the result punters had pinned their hopes in with Warnie overhauling the favourite Zou Sensation at the end of the 1400m contest. 

Winning trainer Ciaron Maher said it was a great effort by Bennett Racing to have two horses, from different stables, line up in the race. 

Maher said Warnie had been knocking on the door of success and was delighted to see the gelding land the prize under Mark Zahra. 

“He's been building towards a race like this, and Flemington was ideal,” Maher said. 

“Mark was ideal and BT (Brent Thomson) put the polish on this morning. 

“So, we got the three ticks there, and fantastic for Nathan Bennett and his team, to quinella a big race like this on Derby Day. 

“It's a credit to them, and it's a credit to what they do.” 

Hefel celebrates Derby Day win

Carleen Hefel cashed in on her Victoria Derby Day opportunity, partnering New York Lustre to victory in the $240,000 Group 3 Kirin Ichiban Sprint (1100m).

Hefel teamed with loyal supporter Enver Jusufovic to celebrate the biggest win of her career at what was her only ride for the day.

New York Lustre towed Hefel to a narrow-but-impressive win in the 1100m event that was the final race of the day and the smile could not be wiped from the 35-year-old’s face upon returning to scale.

“It's a big thrill,” Hefel said.

“I know it's only Group 3, but I'm a little bit emotional on that one – ‘EJ’ supported me through a lot.

“It's just terrific to get a win for him and the mare and for Mike, the owner.”

The victory was the first Stakes success for New York Lustre, a sux-year-old daughter of Manhattan Rain who has now won six of her 14 starts.