Winning Horse: Lunar Flare (Aus)

5yoM Fiorente (Ire) - My Fair Lago (Aus)(Encosta De Lago (Aus))

20 starts - 5 wins 1 second 6 thirds 3 fourths $234505

Other Wins

1st Pakenham Synthetic Michael Muaremov&Assoc. (Bm78) 2200m (2020)

1st Cranbourne Thank Highview Account. (Bm70) 2025m (2020)

1st Sandown-Lakeside Ladbrokes Money Back Odds-Bm70 2100m (2020)

1st Moonee Valley Alinta Energy Geothermal Mdn 1600m (2019)

Other Placings

3rd Flemington Victorian Jockeys Assoc.-Bm84 1800m (2021)

3rd Caulfield Cameron Plant Memorial (Bm84) 1600m (2021)

3rd Moonee Valley Msc Signs Hcp 2040m (2020)

3rd Sandown-Lakeside Ladbrokes Same Race Multi-Bm70 2100m (2020)

2nd Cranbourne De Bortoli Wines (Bm70) 2060m (2020)

3rd Pakenham Synthetic Van Steensel Timbers (Bm58) 1600m (2020)

3rd Cranbourne Procon Developments Mdn Plate 1400m (2019) (Debut Run)

Race Result:

1st: Lunar Flare (M Dee/G Begg) - $5

2nd: Vegas Knight (M Zahra/C Little) - $11
3rd: Master Chum (D Stackhouse/R Wilkinson) - $41

Winning Time: 2:02.97 Last 600m: 35.83

Margins: Long Neck x Long Head

Winning Trainer: Grahame Begg

At 300 metre mark: “I thought we’re in a world of pain here. It was a masterful ride actually. He saved the ground. We discussed prior to the race that it was going to be very hard to circle them into that breeze but when he (Dee) cut back I thought ‘oh we’re in trouble here’.

“She’s come up really well this preparation. Last prep we gave her an extended prep to set her up this time around. Then we gave her a long spell to let her get over that. She’s come up great.

“There’s a lot of work gone into this mare. She wasn’t straightforward to train and for her to be able to come from running around at Benalla in 58-grade to winning on Saturday at Flemington, its a great thrill.

“She’s very honest and, you know what, we haven’t got to the ceiling of her yet.

“The preparation with us, we were only learning about her so you change things up a bit. I think with her less is more. We had aspirations for going to the Banjo Paterson so there’s a 2000 metre handicap here in two weeks time so we’ll just see or there’s a little listed race in Queensland that’s 2100 metres at Eagle Farm - a new race - so we’ve got to make a few decision yet.

“I’m sure she’s heading in the right direction and she’s lightly raced. There’s a bit more to offer.”

Winning Jockey: Michael Dee

“I’m very lucky that she’s going absolutely super this prep and probably every time she’s run this time around she’s had a wide draw and we’ve had to go back. Today up to the 2000 metres, obviously we were in a world of pain at the 300 (metre mark) but luckily I had the horse underneath me to get ourselves out of trouble and gee she was strong through the line.

“I’m quite lucky. I don’t know how much work has gone into her. Every time I have sat on her it has been this prep and she’s been perfect all the way through. From what I was told she has been a bit of a handful but she’s turned into a proper racehorse now.”

Jason Warren (went to Bendigo then Flemington) on Bendigo two-year-old winner Darceandermill: “I think it was a good race. When I got to the track there were about five people tipping their own horses so that’s a good sign that there’s some nice horses in there, they’ve at least shown something for first starters.

“I thought he’d go really well in the Debutants but he just got lost away from the fence but today he rolled up comfortably on the fence.

“Finance Choice (second) did a good job and there was a gap to the third horse, Reynaire, which is no slouch. I think it's a good little race.

“We gave him a bit of time. We had him ready to go a month ago and I wasn’t happy with his bloods so we stopped and waited. It was worthwhile. Both of his jump outs were excellent so I’m surprised he started at $6.50.

“He’s a progressive horse. Hopefully we can win a Saturday race and then give him a let-up for the spring. He’s still about six months away from maturing. He’s going to be a good autumn three-year-old so what he is doing now is on natural ability. I think he’s a nice horse.”

Dave Eustace on Wil John winning first Road To Jericho Cup event at Bendigo (eyes lit up when asked about this horse): “That was terrific. He’s an absolute star and a genuine stayer. I reckon its his best performance in that he travelled really well and was bobbing away with little Josh Richards on his back.

“I reckon that’s the most impressive he’s been.

“He’ll do both (flat and jumping). He’ll go over hurdles again this year (next at Warrnambool in 10 days). He’ll run in a 120 hurdle. What he’ll be is a good ‘chaser and will be, we hope, a Grand Annual horse. He stays and he’s got lots of scope. A great big horse and he’ll jump those fences. He’ll be on a chasing path.

Asked if maintaining a jumps path and keeping up for the Jericho in November is difficult: “Actually it is better for them. If you give them a long break, these stayers, it takes them forever to get back up to that level again. And that is how they do injuries.

“When he ran in the Jericho (2020) he then had ten days in the paddock and we chipped away with him again. It is the way to do it, really. Coming back after six weeks off they can end up injuring themselves, doing a ligament just getting fit again. I think it works.”