Okita Soushi Strikes Gold, into the 2024 Melbourne Cup
Ciaron Maher continues to build a strong Melbourne Cup hand and will add another to his team come the first Tuesday in November with Okita Soushi, who took out the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Friday night.
Okita Soushi ($11) was afforded a soft run just off the pace by Billy Egan who took over in the straight to hold off Serpentine ($6) by half a length, with the New Zealand trained Sharp ‘N’ Smart ($19) working home well for third just ahead of race favourite Francesco Guardi.
The former import came to Melbourne last year for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups when trained by Joseph O’Brien, finishing 11th at Flemington behind Without A Fight before transferring to the Maher stable.
Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull believes the son of Galileo has just needed to build his fitness and get over a staying trip to flourish, having finished second in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) last start.
“He’s just a classic stayer that wants twelve furlongs. Once you get him to that level, and at a level of fitness, he excels. He showed that last start, and he’s gone on and done it again today. He’s in really good form,” Turnbull said.
Prior to the race, Okita Soushi was 34th in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup but will make it safely into the field with Turnbull confirming that has been the plan all along.
“It’s always been the long-term plan when he came to us off the back of his last campaign in spring. It’s really good and pleasing when things work out in terms of timing.”
Meanwhile, the stable hasn’t given up hope of Saint George making the Melbourne Cup field, Turnbull pleased to see the grey, who sits 31st in the order of entry, running on well late for fifth.
“Saw a bit of grey flashing light, which is fantastic. He’s a few spots higher than Okita. With attrition, there’s every chance that he might sneak in because that’s what we wanted to see,” Turnbull said,
The Ciaron Maher stable have seven runners still entered for the Melbourne Cup 2024, with Okita Soushi now a $26 chance with gambling companies.
More Racing News
Thrilling Scone Cup success for in-form Hellsing
Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Hellsing has entered excellent shape and notched his finest victory yet in the Listed $200,000 Arrowfield Scone Cup (1600m) held at Scone on Friday.On his 10th run in a preparation exceeding six months, Hellsing is thriving more than ever, building on a Royal Randwick...
Trainer Moloney sees ongoing enhancement in Hearcomesthestar
Improvement has marked every preparation, and John Moloney, the trainer, expects additional development from Hearcomesthestar in her upcoming appearance at Flemington.From 28 races, Hearcomesthestar has notched six wins and eight places, but Stakes grade has proven challenging for her.The approaching six-year-old earned a Listed placing at Geelong earlier this year,...
Searle family from SA chasing Melbourne Cup dream with Sir Kingsford
Gary and Nichole Searle, together with their daughter Brianna Callanan, form a South Australian training outfit with ambitions for Sir Kingsford in the Melbourne Cup.A victory in Saturday's Listed Andrew Ramsden (3200m) at Flemington earns the winner a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption ahead of the big November event.Nichole Searle sampled...
Scone's Luskin Star Stakes sees Estadio Mestalla with tough weight
Trainer Joe Pride questions the two-kilo advantage given to a Group 1 winner over Estadio Mestalla in the Luskin Star Stakes, but trusts the steady gelding to deliver full commitment.At seven years old, he notched his top triumph in the prior year's Listed Winter Stakes (1100m) and must shoulder 61kg...
Barrier 18 no hindrance to Sequista's Scone return
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou believe filly Sequista has the class for black-type success despite her tendency to undermine herself.Having notched stakes placings in the 2024 Inglis Nursery (1000m) and run near the placings in Tempted's Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m), the three-year-old targets another milestone in Saturday's Listed Denise's...
Flemington awaits Concord Connie's next bold move
Trainer Charlotte Littlefield hopes her talented filly Concord Connie can replicate her recent feat before entertaining grander aspirations.In her third race appearance at Flemington on Anzac Day, Concord Connie notched a breathtaking win by six lengths in sharp time.This Saturday, the filly heads back to Flemington to compete against the...
Dark Jewel Classic in sights for Harlem Queen
While Harlem Queen didn't sustain her early promise from age three, trainer Nathan Doyle feels confident after her trouble-free lead-up that she might restore reliable results.She returns Saturday in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) held at Scone, where despite preferring stamina tests ahead, barrier five positions her well for Doyle's...
Flemington run to decide Different Gravy's Queensland Derby chances
At Flemington, Different Gravy will put his Queensland Derby dreams to the test in upcoming action.Following a Listed triumph over 1800m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day last year, trainer Henry Dwyer fixed his focus on the northern Derby.The Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm scheduled for May...
Abounding's scratch lets Napoleonic into Doomben 10,000 lineup
Confirmation has arrived that Napoleonic will join the Doomben 10,000 field, following Abounding's removal which opened the door for the colt in the elite Group 1 dash.Team members experienced a stressful seven days after the three-year-old earned second emergency status for the $1.5 million event, as reserve Beadman claimed a...
Snowden's stable loaded with top sprinters for feature clashes
Boasting a stable full of high-caliber sprinters primed for black-type action, trainer Peter Snowden enjoys the luxury of picking and choosing among several prestigious races.Just a couple of weeks earlier, Zealously claimed victory in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m), followed by King Of Roseau and Beadman grabbing interstate stakes wins...