3 minute read

While he didn't win the Melbourne Cup Mornington based trainer Simon Vercoe will remember this day for years to come after progressive mare Koonoomoo powered home to notch up the trainer's first city winner in the Group 3 Herald Sun Stakes.

Aided by a gem of a ride from Hugh Bowman, Koonoomoo was able to take advantage of a hot tempo set up front from both Sheila's Star and Steps In Time, working home strongly to overpower the Matthew Smith trained Cabernet with Mid Summer Music finishing further back in third.

"What a way to break the maiden status in town, I just couldn't be happier," Verscoe said.

"It was a good team effort from everyone at home, we're just a little country stable with some really loyal owners.

"They've been supportive for years, her original trainer lives in Malaysia and he still part owns her so he'll be wrapped."

Resuming from a spell in good order this time in, the daughter of Dubleo really appreciated being ridden quietly from the wide draw after Verscoe felt she was ridden to close to the speed last start when finishing second at Geelong.

"The instructions were to go back and ride for luck," Verscoe said.

"She is definitely happier ridden quietly, last start she was ridden a bit too close to the speed and today ridden quietly she hit the line superb."

Set to ride Mourayan in the Melbourne Cup later today, Sydney's leading jockey Hugh Bowman appears to be in fine touch already, however he was happy to give all credit to the progressive mare.

"I was instructed to just ride her quiet, I anticipated a strong pace and that's what we got and from the 600m I just started picking them off and look all credit to the her all I did was point her in the right direction," Bowman said.

"I started to worry at about the 300m mark because I could see a wall in front of me but I just kept the momentum and then the gap came and like I said I just pointed her in the direction and it was a pleasure to be sitting in the box seat.

"It was an armchair ride really."