3 minute read
A look at the results of some of the support races at The Valley on Cox Plate Day
Future History scores emotional win
The win of Future History in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) had some extra meaning for Ciaron Maher with a gravely ill Colin McKenna a part of the ownership group of the imported gelding.
McKenna has been one of Maher's principal backers from when the boy from Warrnambool first started training in the 2000s before one of the leading conditioners in Australia.
The pair combined to win the Caulfield Cup with Jameka while McKenna has been associated with many other of Maher's big race wins, not only on the flat but in jumps races as well.
"He's a great mate. He's very, very sick, so it's great to get the win," an emotional Maher said.
"I've basically grown up with Col and Janice and the rest of the family."
The win of Future History was the gelding's first since claiming The Bart Cummings at Flemington last year which secured the galloper a start in the Melbourne Cup in which he finished 15th.
Maher said Future History did not come during an autumn campaign but had been racing well prior to a disappointing display in Sydney.
"He didn't come up the prep before and then he ran well in the Heatherlie and the Naturalism and had a trip up to Sydney for the Group 1 and now's he's back here winning," Maher said.
"It's arguable what his best trip is, but he's got a good record at 2000 metres now.
"It was a positive ride by Mark, he went forward, quickened up and made the race his own early."
Bitter gets better in Red Anchor
Bittercreek will back-up in next week's Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes after bouncing back to form in the $200,000 Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m).
The son of Snitzel will get the chance to land the win would make him a multi-million-dollar colt after atoning for his flop in the Danehill Stakes.
The Group 2 Champagne Stakes winner from earlier in the year could manage only seventh in that Group 2 event, but had a tongue tie applied for the Red Anchor Stakes and made co-trainer Troy Corstens a relieved man after the $7.50 chance's three-quarters-of-a-length win over Pisces.
"I've got to say I was absolutely gutted after his run in the Danehill because I thought he was an out-and-out Coolmore horse, and when he ran the way that he did, it just really floored me," Corstens, who trains in partnership with his father Leon and Will Larkin, said before declaring his intention to back-up.
"The timing might not be ideal, but he's a three-year-old colt, he's a strong boy, he's really, really tough and he's going to take his place in the Coolmore."
Bittercreek was inserted as a $18 chance in Coolmore Stud Stakes markets, which are headed by $3.50 joint favourites Traffic Warden and Growing Empire.
Certainly a star on the Rise
Yulong does not have any major targets on the horizon for Certain Rise, but a good look at the program is likely to beckon early in the week after the Written Tycoon underlined his potential with a maiden Stakes win.
The Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson-trained filly stretched her record to two wins from three stars after backing up her for-length Mornington maiden win with a gritty performance in the $175,000 Listed Crockett Stakes (1200m).
After working over from his wide barrier to lead, Certain Rise was issued a challenge rounding the home turn but responded to score by three-quarters-of-a-length from Zoubaby.
"Every time we've raised the bar, she's met it," Thompson said.
"She's obviously only been beaten the one time by a pretty smart colt.
"We've got a really high opinion of her, and hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here."
Certain Rise was ridden to victory by Melbourne's premier rider Blake Shinn.
Lindsay Park at the Double in Fillies Classic
The Moonee Valley Fillies Classic might not exactly have lived up to its name, but Lindsay Park cashed in on an opportunity to snare an early Group 2 win for Double Market.
The three-year-old daughter of Castelvecchio took her record to two wins from as many starts with a strong win in the 1600m event worth $300,000.
No horse in the race had won more than one race, and favourite Polymnia had yet to salute in four starts, but Will Hayes was confident Double Market was not out of place and can make the form look good in time.
"We went through all our processes that we do with every horse in the stable and we had her dual nominated (for last) Thursday," he said.
"We kept a close eye on her, and with guidance, we were told that this race looked very suitable and that's exactly how it panned out today."
After settling second-last, Polymnia rounded up her rivals with a sweeping wide run and went home to score by three-quarters-of-a-length from Cavity Bay with In Her Eyes third.
Hayes said Double Market could now find herself chasing Group 1 glory in next month Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
Double Market's victory completed an early double for Lindsay Park, which won the first race on the card, which was a 1000m open handicap, with recent stable acquisition Acromantula.
Lady lifts Tesio trophy for Brown
Improving mare Lady Jones secured valuable Black Type when she bounced back from an unplaced run to claim the $300,000 Group 3 Tesio Stakes that rounded out the Cox Plate Day card.
The five-year-old daughter of Toronado registered the fifth win of her 20-start career in the 2040m event and trainer Stephen Brown was relieved to see her back to her best after a flat fifth placing in the Group 3 Ladies Day Vase at her previous outing.
"We were gutted when she got beaten at Caulfield, but we put it down to the hard track," Brown said.
"Really nice because we've bred her ourselves and it's been a long haul. I had doubts about the 2000 (metres), but she's proven that she can do it."
Now that Lady Jones is back in winning form, Brown is likely to look for a race during the Melbourne Cup Carnival with the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) on Final Day a leading contender for her next appearance.
